McGuire
Mac McGuire had a relatively short pipe making "hobby" and an even shorter "professional" career, and as a result, his pipes are not well-known away from his local area. California Pipe smokers have a few "favorite sons" whose work is little-known east of the ROCKY MOUNTAINS. Along with Paul Perri, Syd Ram, Ken Erickson and George Krissor, "MAC" McGUIRE was one of the great WEST COAST Pipe makers. This Burlington reflects his ability and is EXCEPTIONAL - - - engineered to perfection!!!
Charles ("Charlie") Kornguth, owner of Beverly Hills Pipe and Tobacco, told me that his shop had the exclusive distribution of McGuire Pipes for about 10 years from the "early 1970's thru the early 1980's." During that time, McGuire made only " a few hundred pipes" which sold between $150 and $300. Because of McGuire's fondness for Charatan's, he favored large, straight grain shapes, and even his smaller creations emulated Charatan Shapes! But, for most of his life it was only his hobby, and Charlie could never get him to increase his production. Kornguth considered McGuire's limited production to be a loss for pipe collectors everywhere because McGuire was one of the most talented pipemakers Charlie has ever seen!
Eventually McGuire formed a partnership and briefly opened his own shop in Los Angeles where he continued making the pipes. Early McGuire Pipes had the name "McGuire" scratched into the shank (something like Tim West used to do). But after the shop created a more business-like setting, the stamping became more professional! His pipes were then stamped with the name of the shop - - - "GRAHAM & McGUIRE"!!! Unfortunately, the shop was not opened long and McGuire's occupation as a professional pipemaker was short-lived!
- McGuire freehand courtesy of Doug Valitchka
