Chris Asteriou and his Masterful Classic Pipes

In the worlds of philosophy, art, and literature the fountainhead of the classics is Greece. And, although the briar pipe was born in St. Claude, France, most of us in the pipe world identify London as the home of classic pipes. Indeed, during the first half of the 20th century when pipes were sold worldwide by the millions, having the words “Made in London” or “London-made” stamped on a pipe’s shank created a powerful marketing advantage for those companies who associated their pipes with the British Empire’s capital city. Barling, BBB, Comoy, Dunhill, GBD,  Loewe, and Orlik comprised the classical canon of the British pipe.

Chris AsteriouGiven the London-DNA of the classic pipe, it is particularly interesting to me that some of the most extraordinary classic pipes are emerging outside the United Kingdom. One such pipemaker is the Greek pipemaker Chris Asteriou who is also an architect. That Asteriou is an architect shows up in the execution of his finished work and in the process he uses with buyers who commission pipes from him. It seems somehow fitting that extraordinary classic pipes would come from Greece.

Although I was aware of Asteriou’s name, two other pipe collectors piqued my interest: Michael Lankton, who writes the blog, Cake and Dottle; and Memphis-collector and friend, Tim Crowder.  Michael Lankton interviewed Asteriou for his blog, and it is well worth reading. (Click to read).

My decision to commission an Asteriou pipe was clinched during a visit to Memphis several months ago. I arrived the day before my engagement began, and I drove out to Tim Crowder’s home to spend the evening visiting, having dinner, and smoking pipes together. While I was there, I noticed Tim smoking a particularly beautiful Liverpool. I asked him about the pipe, and he told me he had recently received the pipe from Chris Asteriou. When he handed the pipe to me for inspection, I was astonished at how perfect it was.

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NeatPipes' AeroBilliard takes flight

Last Wednesday, I received my AeroBilliard, the latest opus in a series of collaborations between NeatPipes’ Luca DiPiazza and Luigi Radice and sons.

Before I go one word further, I wish to emphatically state that my two-hours and three bowls of tobacco with this pipe left me absolutely amazed with its smoking quality. It is no overstatement, whatsoever, that I have never had a better first three bowls of tobacco from any pipe. The pipe delivered it all: smooth, concentrated flavor and a cool, dry smoke. In short, this pipe has forced me to reconsider many opinions I’ve held about what is and is not a great smoking pipe.

Sam ColwellI was so excited about the pipe’s smoking quality that I removed it from my mouth, cleaned the bit, and handed it to a good friend of mine, Sam Colwell, to taste. Sam was so astonished by the flavor (he was smoking the same blend in one of his favorite pipes), that he asked me to help him immediately buy one for himself.

A chubby billiard measuring  110 mm (4.35 inches) in length, and 50 mm (2 inches) in height, the stout little pipe weighs in at only 56 grams (2 ounces) – quite a feat given that the shank diameter is a full 25 mm (1 inch).

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The 2012 Piper's Dozen

Well, after a year’s hiatus, the Piper’s Dozen is back. This is unquestionably the most difficult post I write during the year. There are so many deserving people and products I consider for each category so I agonize interminably over who and what should be highlighted here.

Then, there was the consideration that the world was supposed to end last Friday according to the Mayans. Why would we give so much credence to a people whose entire population summarily vanished long before their projected day of reckoning? On the off chance that nobody would be around to read this year’s post, I procrastinated on finishing it up. In any event, we’re still here, so here is this year’s Piper’s Dozen:

1. Piper(s) of the Year: Matt and Jon Guss

Borthers Matt (top) and Jon GusIf it weren’t for the brothers Guss, there would’ve been no John Cotton Throwdown, no Balkan Sobranie Throwdown, nor the tremendous enthusiasm generated from  artisanal recreations of famous historic tobacco blends. This hobby has long been focused on pipes and pipe collecting With these new tobacco events, we see excitement created around tobaccos that is every bit the equal of pipes. When one considers  the class and organization of these two Throwdown events that took place at the Chicago show over the last two years, one cannot help but be impressed.

Additionally, Matt Guss is one of the most effective pipe club leaders  and advocates on the American scene. The Seattle Pipe Club’s healthy membership, its extraordinarily fun annual January dinner event, and its sponsorship of events like the Throwdowns are evidence of Matt’s commitment to the role of pipe clubs in advancing the vitality of the hobby.

Jon Guss’ pipes and tobaccos scholarship emerged from considerable research skills that were honed during his days working for one of the major management consulting firms. Today, Jon can be found poring over tax and public record archives in Edinborough or London. His methodological rigor has given pipe and tobacco enthusiasts new insights and plenty of debunked myths, not to mention entertaining reads.

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No Nonsense.

I recently received the above-depicted bamboo 283 shape from Jack Howell – a pipe I asked Jack to make for me some fifteen months ago when he was working on last year’s Passion for Pipes 283 project. I fell in love with the chubby Rhodesian shape, and being a devotée of bamboo pipes, I could easily imagine that I would appreciate a bamboo version. I was correct; I love it.

It should come as no surprise to anyone that the best possible products in any category - pipes included - result from long-term, trusting relationships where the buyer and the seller come to really know each others’ skills, tastes, and preferences. The esteemed loyalty guru, Fred Reichheld, asserts that superior value creation happens when long-term customers and long-term employees conspire together.

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A Labor of Love

Thursday, advance copies of the Fall issue of Pipes and Tobaccos Magazine arrived at my doorstep from the magazine’s printing facilities in the midwest. Coincidentally, just minutes before I received a text message from Adam Davidson with a picture of the copy he had just been handed by Sykes Wilford at Smokingpipes.com.

This issue features one of my favorite pipemakers and people: Adam Davidson. I wrote the cover story about him and created the story’s and cover image, as well. The project has been a labor of love that began about a year ago with a call from the magazine’s editor, Chuck Stanion, inquiring if I would take on the assignment. I could hardly get “yes” out of my mouth fast enough. Since I met Adam and started collecting his work five years ago, my respect and affection for him have grown steadily.

I confess I struggled a bit writing this story. Adam is more than the subject of an article to me. He is a friend whose story I have watched unfold within which I have been a bit player. There were more than a few days where I found myself sitting and staring at a blank computer screen, immobilized by writer’s block.

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