The William Tell Overture

Earlier this week, when I was in Pennsylvania on business I had the pleasure of joining my friend, artist Scott Stultz, in his studio for an evening of conversation, good tobacco, and fine Scotch whisky.

To sit in my friend Scott’s studio is a feast for the senses, not the least of which is the eyes. The space is full of art, books, pipes, finely crafted furniture, sketch books, and the detritus of a passion for the quirky and the tactile. Sitting there in Scott’s hard rock maple armchair, there are so many compelling things at which to gawk that I felt a little like a sailor at a Rockettes show; the only reason to move my eyes was a likelihood that they would alight on something even better.

Next to an old pipe rack and array of briars, I spied the remarkable old figural pipe you see depicted in photographs here. Masterfully rendered in briar wood is this smokable bust of William Tell, the storied archer of old whose legend is known by children around the world.

“What is that figural pipe made of?” I inquired of Scott as I scrutinized it from some ten feet away. To me, at that distance, I assumed that the pipe was cast of clay or some similar medium.

“It’s carved briar,” Scott replied, reaching forward then walking the pipe over to me.

Astonished, I rolled the pipe through my fingers barely able to believe that such finely sculpted detail could be rendered from a briar burl.

“The stem is horn,” Scott observed. “When I got it, I spent a ton of time cleaning it up. It was really dirty.”

“Can you believe the amount of time and work this pipe represents?” I asked Scott. “I can’t imagine carving this from something as hard as briar. It is amazing work,” I declared.

When the pipe was given to him by his grandfather, he learned that the pipe was made for the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games where he purchased it when he traveled with the team to Berlin.

Even more surprising, I learned that Scott’s grandfather apprised him that he is a direct descendant of Wilhelm Tell, who was evidently a real person, not just a figure of folklore.

The following evening, Scott’s son, Gabe, sat talking with us. I had again picked up the William Tell pipe to admire its finely crafted contours.

“Of all my dad’s pipes, that’s my favorite,” Gabe enthused. “All my dad’s pipes are valuable, but with that pipe you can actually see the value looking at it.”

“He’s right,” I mused to myself. This pipe took great skill and copious amounts of time to create. I wondered at the irony of what seemed to be true and how far that seeming truth is from reality.

Old French figural pipes like this one sell for little or nothing in the estate-pipe marketplace. Craftsmanship, age, materials, and story don’t add up to much when it comes to marketplace value of figural briar pipes – even when they are as finely rendered as a marble sculpture.

I decided I would make an overture to Scott to let him know the depth of my interest in the pipe.

“I would really love to own this pipe, Scott. If you ever decide to let it go, please let me know,” I said after Gabe had abandoned us for more interesting pastimes. “At the very least, I would love to photograph it. It is so very interesting and beautiful.”

That night, as I lay in bed awaiting sleep, I wondered at the feasibility of commencing a collection of figural briar pipes. Were there enough of them out there to justify such an initiative? In what condition would I find these pipes? Could such a collection be interesting? Because I had never previously considered such a notion, my questions died echoless like the pipe dreams they were likely to be.

It mystifies me that skilled and imaginative figural pipe carvers like Stephen Downie and Manuel Shaabi are not far more revered among collectors than they are. Certainly, the sheer amount of work their pipes represent – conceptual and design skills aside – is not reflected in the valuation of their pipes.

I have always wanted one of Shaabi’s fine figurals, but I missed my big chance; he is no longer carving and his best work seems unavailable.

The Wraith by Stephen DownieTiki pipe by Canadian artisan Stephen DownieFortunately, Stephen Downie’s work is still available. With every project, it seems like Downie’s imagination and skills flourish further. His latest work, a Tiki, left me with my chin on my desktop; it was so brilliantly imagined and skillfully executed. Downie’s Wraith – an early figural pipe in my collection – foreshadowed Downie’s ascent. He will only rise further, in my reckoning.

It is remarkable to discern just how evolved the quality of briar carving was during the mid-20th century. I try to imagine the person who carved this William Tell figural pipe. I’ll be looking to see what else is out there. I hope I’ll see more of this quality of execution and composition.

Comments

[Richard Friedman]

Niell, thanks for highlighting this gnere of pipes.

Back in 1968, our local tobacconist in Hartford, Connecticut had some larger figural briar from France. One really caught my attention. It was a swashbuckling cavalier (not pipe style but personal) with grand mustachios and a broad brimmed hat adorned with a large plume. In my imagination it had to be one fo the three musketeers.

The proprietor was kindly willing to put it on layaway for me. I worked after school as a delivery boy at a toy store. It took three weeks to earn and save enough to buy that pipe. I went downtown each week to give the store owner some money. He was quite indulgent and pulled the pipe out each time allowing me to fondle and admire it. This was the first pipe I ever bought with my own hard earned money.

It is long gone now... has been for decades. Scott's pipe and your fabulous photos of it brought back memories from long ago. Thank you for the bitter-sweet pang.

[Rick H.]

That's a remarkable pipe. There's real expression and character. Most carved briar pipes don't even come close.

[Rick Newcombe]

These pipes are art, and they are fun to look at and admire. But they are not known as functional art. The smoking qualities of these types of sculptural pipes have never been considered comparable to their aesthetic beauty.

The pipes that command the highest prices today and are revered most among pipe collectors are pipes that are beautiful, yes, but also pipes known for their fantastic smoking qualities.

One of the reasons that classical shapes (which are also very beautiful) have endured is because they lend themselves to the function of providing a good smoking pipe. My personal favorites are pipes that are great smokers and are the artisan's interpretation of classical shapes, when those interpretations are stunning in their beauty.

Nonetheless, I appreciate your comments and photographs and agree that there is something very striking about the William Tell pipe. And Stephen Downie's imaginative pipes certainly would attract attention amidst any pipe collection.

[Scott Stultz]

It's fun to see my grandfather's pipe photographed so well, Neill. Although I only have experience with this one pipe from the figural carved briar category, it wouldn't surprise me if Rick's note about the relatively unremarkable smoking qualities of most figural briars is fairly accurate. The representational woodcarving no doubt took a front seat to engineering a great smoke. Surprisingly enough however, this particular example is quite a decent smoker. When my grandfather gave it to me, there was a thick cake of carbon from rim to heel that had to be reamed down, evidence of how frequently he enjoyed it. I was delighted when I recently loaded it with a favorite English/Oriental blend and was able to appreciate an unexpectedly satisfying 75 year old briar both for its visual and functional aspects. By the way, this is the pipe, for those who have The Illustrated Pipe calendar, that appears with a Cornelius Mänz in the illustration for August.

[Jimbo44]

They say you can identify a sophisticated man as someone who can listen to the William Tell Overture and not think of the Lone Ranger.
I guess that appreciating works of art counts as well!