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A Conversation Piece: "The Most Expensive Pipe": Difference between revisions
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A Conversation Piece: "The Most Expensive Pipe" (view source)
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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. | ||