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<center>'''A Conversation Piece: “The Most Expensive Pipe” '''<br> | <center>'''A Conversation Piece: “The Most Expensive Pipe” '''<br> | ||
'''''by Ben Rapaport (October 2021)'''''<br> | '''''by Ben Rapaport (October 2021)'''''<br> | ||
''Exclusive to | ''Exclusive to Pipedia.org (at least for now)'' </center> | ||
Those familiar with my writing know that I am a contrarian-documentarian. Although not a Trekkie, I “boldly go where no man has gone before” to write about the arcana and esoterica of pipes and tobacco, so it should be no surprise that I chose to investigate and examine this topic. | Those familiar with my writing know that I am a contrarian-documentarian. Although not a Trekkie, I “boldly go where no man has gone before” to write about the arcana and esoterica of pipes and tobacco, so it should be no surprise that I chose to investigate and examine this topic. | ||
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Another Turkish meerschaum pipe is mentioned in the Guinness Book of World Records. In the 1978 issue: “The most expensive smoker’s pipe is an intricately carved meerschaum pipe, marketed by CAO Meerschaums of Nashville, Tennessee, which sells in New York City for $8,000.” The 1980 issue mentions a “Most Valuable Pipe,” … “flying horseman,” … “marketed in San Francisco for $10,000.” According to “Hot cigar and pipe hobby leads entrepreneur to prosperity” (Nashville Business Journal, May 10, 1998): “He [Ozgener, CEO of C.A.O. Inc.] has more than 1,000 pipes in his collection, including the famous Flying Dutchman pipe which appeared in the Guinness Book of World Records for years as the most expensive pipe in the world valued at $10,000.” Then, “’The Guinness Book of World Records’ lists the most valuable meerschaum pipe at $50,000, owned by Cano Ozgener, Jun 12, 2018” (eileenandmorgan.com). I could not find a picture of this pipe, and I cannot explain the disparity in price. | Another Turkish meerschaum pipe is mentioned in the Guinness Book of World Records. In the 1978 issue: “The most expensive smoker’s pipe is an intricately carved meerschaum pipe, marketed by CAO Meerschaums of Nashville, Tennessee, which sells in New York City for $8,000.” The 1980 issue mentions a “Most Valuable Pipe,” … “flying horseman,” … “marketed in San Francisco for $10,000.” According to “Hot cigar and pipe hobby leads entrepreneur to prosperity” (Nashville Business Journal, May 10, 1998): “He [Ozgener, CEO of C.A.O. Inc.] has more than 1,000 pipes in his collection, including the famous Flying Dutchman pipe which appeared in the Guinness Book of World Records for years as the most expensive pipe in the world valued at $10,000.” Then, “’The Guinness Book of World Records’ lists the most valuable meerschaum pipe at $50,000, owned by Cano Ozgener, Jun 12, 2018” (eileenandmorgan.com). I could not find a picture of this pipe, and I cannot explain the disparity in price. | ||
Let’s go back in time. The William Demuth Company of New York, the largest U.S. pipe manufacturer in the mid- to late 19th century. It commissioned the Columbus pipe, known as the “Discovery of | Let’s go back in time. The William Demuth Company of New York, the largest U.S. pipe manufacturer in the mid- to late 19th century. It commissioned the Columbus pipe, known as the “Discovery of America by Columbus,” for the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893 that took two years to make. It depicts Christopher Columbus claiming the new land for the Spanish empire, alongside his shipmates, a priest, and Native Americans (altogether, 21 high- and low-relief-carved figures), and measuring 33” l., including a very ornately crafted, sectional, multicolor amber mouthpiece. It is illustrated in the Demuth Spring 1932 catalog, described as “WDC. $50,000 Meerschaum Pipe,” and on one of its advertising postcards. This pipe may be familiar to you, because it is illustrated in Ehwa, The Book of Pipes & Tobacco. | ||
[[File:WDC-ColumbusMeer-Postcard.jpg|thumb|left|Obverse side of the WDC postcard, courtesy Gene Umberger]]Where is it today? The story is rather convoluted. The American Tobacco Company, Richmond, Virginia, acquired the Demuth collection of some 250 pipes, the “Half-and-Half Collection,” in 1940. In 1957, the collection was donated to the Valentine Museum in Richmond. After a fire in 1963, the collection was placed in storage. In 1991 the Museum sold it to Austria Tabak (AT), Vienna, Austria, adding to the AT Museum’s extensive collection of antiquarian pipes and related smoking utensils. The Columbus pipe was the centerpiece attraction in October 1992, when AT celebrated the 500th anniversary of the discovery of America. In 2001, the AT Museum was shuttered and, in 2002, most of the museum’s inventory were auctioned; however, it retained a quantity of choice pipes and related artifacts. In 2009, to celebrate 225 years of AT—10 of which were now as a subsidiary of Japan Tobacco International (JTI)—Vienna’s Kunsthistorisches Museum (Art History Museum) sponsored “Nicotiana. A Cultural History of Tobacco,” an exhibition with the Columbus pipe as the centerpiece once again. It’s never been stated as to how the original $50,000 valuation was derived, and it has not been offered for sale by JTI, so it’s impossible to know how much it could command today. | [[File:WDC-ColumbusMeer-Postcard.jpg|thumb|left|Obverse side of the WDC postcard, courtesy Gene Umberger]]Where is it today? The story is rather convoluted. The American Tobacco Company, Richmond, Virginia, acquired the Demuth collection of some 250 pipes, the “Half-and-Half Collection,” in 1940. In 1957, the collection was donated to the Valentine Museum in Richmond. After a fire in 1963, the collection was placed in storage. In 1991 the Museum sold it to Austria Tabak (AT), Vienna, Austria, adding to the AT Museum’s extensive collection of antiquarian pipes and related smoking utensils. The Columbus pipe was the centerpiece attraction in October 1992, when AT celebrated the 500th anniversary of the discovery of America. In 2001, the AT Museum was shuttered and, in 2002, most of the museum’s inventory were auctioned; however, it retained a quantity of choice pipes and related artifacts. In 2009, to celebrate 225 years of AT—10 of which were now as a subsidiary of Japan Tobacco International (JTI)—Vienna’s Kunsthistorisches Museum (Art History Museum) sponsored “Nicotiana. A Cultural History of Tobacco,” an exhibition with the Columbus pipe as the centerpiece once again. It’s never been stated as to how the original $50,000 valuation was derived, and it has not been offered for sale by JTI, so it’s impossible to know how much it could command today. | ||
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Determining the most expensive wood pipe is another matter altogether. There are some accepted truths about briars, in particular, what sets them apart from mainstream pipe production. An article in the September 17, 1956 issue of Newsweek entitled “Pipe Dream” contained a photo of a Kaywoodie Presentation Collection, described as the “costliest pipe set ever marketed in the U.S.”: a walnut cabinet containing 31 pipes: 28 flawless, matched-grain briars, a carved briar, a meerschaum, and a Calabash, priced at $1,000. In the 1970s, Charatan’s top-of-the line Crown Achievement pipes were priced at $1,500, its seven-day sets were priced at $1,500. In the 1990s, some Jess Chonowitch briars sold for as much as $6,800. | Determining the most expensive wood pipe is another matter altogether. There are some accepted truths about briars, in particular, what sets them apart from mainstream pipe production. An article in the September 17, 1956 issue of Newsweek entitled “Pipe Dream” contained a photo of a Kaywoodie Presentation Collection, described as the “costliest pipe set ever marketed in the U.S.”: a walnut cabinet containing 31 pipes: 28 flawless, matched-grain briars, a carved briar, a meerschaum, and a Calabash, priced at $1,000. In the 1970s, Charatan’s top-of-the line Crown Achievement pipes were priced at $1,500, its seven-day sets were priced at $1,500. In the 1990s, some Jess Chonowitch briars sold for as much as $6,800. | ||
[[File:SerJacopoGemDiamond-Brillante-MasxMaxMax.jpg|thumb|400px|Ser Jacopo Gem Series Diamond/Brillante MaxMaxMaxMax]]Currently, this briar is the only one worthy of mention in this narrative. “Is this the Most Expensive Pipe — Ever?” was a Web post about a Ser Jacopo Gem Series Diamond/Brillante MaxMaxMaxMax, a quadruple (4X) Maxima designation that is virtually unknown. Straight grain encircles the bowl, and densely packed eyes at the top of the bowl are complemented by tightly packed birds-eye at the bottom of the bowl. The pipe has an 18-kt gold band, the trademark diamond set in an 18-kt gold setting mounted in the stem. The stamp, 03/2000, means that it was the third Gem Series Diamond produced in 2000. The 4 x Maxima stamp means that it is very large. “Fiammate” means that it is a straight grain. “Per Aspera ad Astra” is the Ser Jacopo motto that is stamped on all its pipes; this Latin phrase was the original motto of NASA. A retailer bought it at the RTDA show in San Antonio, Texas, in August, 2000, at a very insane price—just kidding—of $9,950.00, just shy of | [[File:SerJacopoGemDiamond-Brillante-MasxMaxMax.jpg|thumb|400px|Ser Jacopo Gem Series Diamond/Brillante MaxMaxMaxMax]]Currently, this briar is the only one worthy of mention in this narrative. “Is this the Most Expensive Pipe — Ever?” was a Web post about a Ser Jacopo Gem Series Diamond/Brillante MaxMaxMaxMax, a quadruple (4X) Maxima designation that is virtually unknown. Straight grain encircles the bowl, and densely packed eyes at the top of the bowl are complemented by tightly packed birds-eye at the bottom of the bowl. The pipe has an 18-kt gold band, the trademark diamond set in an 18-kt gold setting mounted in the stem. The stamp, 03/2000, means that it was the third Gem Series Diamond produced in 2000. The 4 x Maxima stamp means that it is very large. “Fiammate” means that it is a straight grain. “Per Aspera ad Astra” is the Ser Jacopo motto that is stamped on all its pipes; this Latin phrase was the original motto of NASA. A retailer bought it at the RTDA show in San Antonio, Texas, in August, 2000, at a very insane price—just kidding—of $9,950.00, just shy of 10 grand. This one remains the most expensive, premier-quality briar pipe sold to date. | ||
[[File:NationalTreasure-Prop-Resin.jpg|thumb|400px|left|National Treasure prop pipe, made of resin to look like distressed Meerschaum]]Then there’s the pipe that commands a high price at auction, because it’s a prop in popular movies and smoked by someone from central casting, such as Sherlock Holmes and his calabash, Gandalf and his churchwarden, and Bing Crosby and his trademark briar. The most recent example is from the 2004 movie “National Treasure.” If you saw it, you’d remember the pipe that was discovered in the frozen wreckage of the Charlotte, a ship that was supposedly lost in the Arctic. Made of resin—its dimensions were 10½” x 1½” x 3”—and made to look like distressed meerschaum, it was used as a key to unlock the ship’s treasure room. It was Lot 252 in London’s Entertainment Memorabilia auction in November 2021. Its estimate was £4,000–£6,000; its realized price: £55,000 plus buyer’s premium, £68,750, or about $90,000. This one-of-a-kind pipe—It’s certainly not for smoking—but the owner has legitimate bragging rights, because it was a centerpiece in a movie that was seen worldwide. | |||
[[File:Duhill-EiffelTower.jpg|thumb|left|400px|Dunhill Eiffel Tower Pipe, courtesy alpascia.com]]Dunhill has been known for producing some rarities, such as the unusual Namiki “Two Carps” pipe, only 25 of which were produced in 2016. You can still buy one for about 20,000 Euros ($23,000). Far more fascinating is Dunhill’s extraordinary, one-of-a-kind Eiffel Tower pipe, designed by product director, Kalmon Hener, manufactured in 2015. The bowl is carved from a single block of flawless briar, the tower hand-cut from sheets of 18kt gold and embellished with 492 diamonds, 140 sapphires, 20 rubies, and a cornflower-blue 3.75-carat Sri Lankan sapphire. A cabinet decorated with an inlaid image of workers building the Eiffel Tower contains the pipe and five rare books about the Paris landmark, including volumes commissioned by Gustave Eiffel in 1900. Read more about this creature at “Extremely Limited Edition Pipes: One of One. The White Spot Eiffel Tower Pipe” (alpascia.com), and Richard Hacker, “Design Portfolio: This Is Not a Pipe,” (robbreport.com). The price is only $3.5 million. Any takers? | [[File:Duhill-EiffelTower.jpg|thumb|left|400px|Dunhill Eiffel Tower Pipe, courtesy alpascia.com]]Dunhill has been known for producing some rarities, such as the unusual Namiki “Two Carps” pipe, only 25 of which were produced in 2016. You can still buy one for about 20,000 Euros ($23,000). Far more fascinating is Dunhill’s extraordinary, one-of-a-kind Eiffel Tower pipe, designed by product director, Kalmon Hener, manufactured in 2015. The bowl is carved from a single block of flawless briar, the tower hand-cut from sheets of 18kt gold and embellished with 492 diamonds, 140 sapphires, 20 rubies, and a cornflower-blue 3.75-carat Sri Lankan sapphire. A cabinet decorated with an inlaid image of workers building the Eiffel Tower contains the pipe and five rare books about the Paris landmark, including volumes commissioned by Gustave Eiffel in 1900. Read more about this creature at “Extremely Limited Edition Pipes: One of One. The White Spot Eiffel Tower Pipe” (alpascia.com), and Richard Hacker, “Design Portfolio: This Is Not a Pipe,” (robbreport.com). The price is only $3.5 million. Any takers? | ||