DePrey

James DePrey (†); Ft. Kent, Maine, USA, stopped making pipes in 1989 due to health reasons.

Pipe collectors International article, courtesy of Michael (Mlindahl)

The following is transcribed from an article in Pipe Collectors International (right):

R. James Deprey has been making pipea in Fort Kent, Maine for two years. He has learned from the many craftsmen who are willing to share what they know, notably J.M. Boswell. James credits Boswell with the first inspiration as well as instruction in the craft and its tools. Show, competitions, and smokeshops have provided continual inspiration to support his development.

James works in pipes part-time. The drill press and sander are his only power tools; the rest of the work is done by hand, making all his pipes "free-hand", although many of his shapes could be turned on a lathe. This hand-made quality earned for James the second place award in the best free-hand competition at the 1987 New England Pipe Symposium.

James sells his annual production of some 250 pipes through the mail, in smokeshops, and at shows. Using both vulcanite and Lucite for stems, Deprey offers pipes with smooth, rustic, stained, and unstained finishes. He sells his pieces without a catalog for $45 to $185.

James enjoys free-hand work because of the uniqueness of each piece, and he loves to sell such a creation to someone who is drawn to it and finds it irresistible.

• Examples and details, courtesy Doug Valitchka
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
•