Kulpinski: Difference between revisions

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[[Image:Kulpinski.jpg|left]]
Ryszard Kulpinski ranks among the exceptional pipemakers of the city of Przemysl. He started as an apprentice in the workshop of the Walat brothers in 1956. Here he learned the craft and how to grapple with the economic and political adversities of communist Poland - e.g. the lack of good raw materials (esp. briar!) and the various and enduring attempts of the state to socialize the pipecrafters. For decades Polish pipes were produced mainly from the wood of pear and walnut trees. Some Polish pipemakers still fall back on these materials today – rather for sentimental reasons, though.
Ryszard Kulpinski ranks among the exceptional pipemakers of the city of Przemysl. He started as an apprentice in the workshop of the Walat brothers in 1956. Here he learned the craft and how to grapple with the economic and political adversities of communist Poland - e.g. the lack of good raw materials (esp. briar!) and the various and enduring attempts of the state to socialize the pipecrafters. For decades Polish pipes were produced mainly from the wood of pear and walnut trees. Some Polish pipemakers still fall back on these materials today – rather for sentimental reasons, though.


Things got a little better after 1970 and in the years from 1971 to 1981 Kulpinski conduced a lot to the large success of Walat pipes, the so-called "Walatówka". After Ludwik Walat’s death, he joint together with another of Walat’s students, [[Ryszard Filar]] – today an icon of the Polish pipemaker scene himself. They established a firm but separated already in 1983 and Kulpinski went on to work alone now. His workshop was ready for operation in early 1984 and from the very start he offered both series pipes and numerous and extraordinary freehands. In 1985 he was honored with the special title "Master of Arts and Crafts". This national nomination awarded by the Polish Ministry of Arts and Culture was of significant importance at that time because it raised the Polish pipemakers to the rank of artisan craftsmen.
[[Image:Kulpinski.jpg|left|Ryszard Kulpinski]]Things got a little better after 1970 and in the years from 1971 to 1981 Kulpinski conduced a lot to the large success of Walat pipes, the so-called "Walatówka". After Ludwik Walat’s death, he joint together with another of Walat’s students, [[Ryszard Filar]] – today an icon of the Polish pipemaker scene himself. They established a firm but separated already in 1983 and Kulpinski went on to work alone now. His workshop was ready for operation in early 1984 and from the very start he offered both series pipes and numerous and extraordinary freehands. In 1985 he was honored with the special title "Master of Arts and Crafts". This national nomination awarded by the Polish Ministry of Arts and Culture was of significant importance at that time because it raised the Polish pipemakers to the rank of artisan craftsmen.


Glasnost and perestroika - the downfall of the Warsaw Pact was of immense importance to the pipemakers there! Finally they had unhampered access to briar – the indispensable precondition to make their pipes competitive on international markets. Ryszard Kulpinski introduced his work on numerous fairs and shows in Poland and foreign countries. He was one of the first to attract attention among pipesmokers outside eastern Europe. Since 1997 Kulpinski receives his wood mostly from Portugal, Spain and Albania.
Glasnost and perestroika - the downfall of the Warsaw Pact was of immense importance to the pipemakers there! Finally they had unhampered access to briar – the indispensable precondition to make their pipes competitive on international markets. Ryszard Kulpinski introduced his work on numerous fairs and shows in Poland and foreign countries. He was one of the first to attract attention among pipesmokers outside eastern Europe. Since 1997 Kulpinski receives his wood mostly from Portugal, Spain and Albania.
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Image:Kulp_A0099.jpg|Autograf 0099
Image:Kulp_A0099.jpg|Autograf 0099
Image:Kulp_A0104.jpg|Autograf 0104
Image:Kulp_A0104.jpg|Autograf 0104