A DadsPipes reader contacted me a little while ago to ask about a Brigham pipe he’d picked up at a local antique shop. Initially he had planned to clean up the pipe himself, but after running into possible burnout problems, he decided to send the pipe my way for an opinion. I was sent these… Continue reading Scorched Briar and Unique Stamping Reveal a Part of Brigham Pipe History
I’ve been working on quite a few old Brigham pipes recently, so this Grabow Golden Duke Author was a welcome respite when I pulled it from my box of pipes waiting refurbishment. It has that classic chubby shape that, at least for me, holds a timeless appeal and the promise of a cool smoke thanks… Continue reading Reviving a Handsome Dr. Grabow Golden Duke Adjustomatic Chubby Author
PLEASE NOTE: The latest, most complete version (v3.0) of the Brigham Shape Chart can be found in my book, Brigham Pipes - A Century of Canadian Briar , and includes more pipe shapes and images than ever before. ***** Time for another Shape Chart update! Here is Version 2.0. (uploaded 13 Sept 2019). Download a… Continue reading The Official Unofficial Brigham Shape Chart
Here is another new addition to my collection of Brigham pipes - a 3-Dot Shape 82 Bent Tankard. The pipe was in fine estate condition when I received it – it needed a good overall cleaning, of course, but it had been taken care of. The rim was the “biggest” minor issue. As you can… Continue reading Tidying Up a Brigham 382 Bent Tankard
When it comes to the regular care and feeding of one’s pipes, it seems that pipe smokers can be divided into one of two camps – those who treat their pipes well and those that do not. In the first camp you will find people who clean their briar, meer or cob before it blocks… Continue reading Rescuing a Cracked & Beaten 1960 Dunhill Shell Briar 142 Dublin
One fun side effect of cataloging my pipes in support of the Brigham Shape Chart project was that I learned which pipe shapes I owned already, and by extension, which shapes I did not have in the collection. So I was pleased when this Brigham 287 showed up in a recent estate purchase. This 2-Dot… Continue reading “Tip & Tail” Repairs for a 1970’s Brigham 287 Bent Dublin
I found this Peterson meerschaum pipe during a recent visit to an antiques mall about an hour’s drive from my house. I hear stories of antique shops seemingly overflowing with estate pipes, but in my neck of the woods, the pipe hunt is often more of a feast-or-famine game. Many times I don’t come across… Continue reading Surprises While Refreshing a Peterson “Aboriginal Finish” Meerschaum 80S
PLEASE NOTE: The latest, most complete version (v3.0) of the Brigham Shape Chart can be found in my book, Brigham Pipes - A Century of Canadian Briar , and includes more pipe shapes and images than ever before. ***** Here it is, folks - the first draft of the Brigham Pipes Shape Chart! Note that… Continue reading The Completely Unofficial Brigham Pipes Shape Chart v0.1 Beta Release
I pulled this old Kaywoodie out of the refurb box a little while ago and left it on the corner of my desk for a while before starting the restoration. The pipe is a lovely Author shape, slightly chubby, with an elegant half bend. It is stamped “KAYWOODIE” over “Flame Grain” over “Imported Briar” on… Continue reading Reviving a Kaywoodie Flame Grain 13B Author
I’ve mentioned in an earlier post that Brigham offered the ever-popular Straight Billiard shape in several sizes and considered them from the start as separate product offerings rather than variations on a theme. Thus there are three shape numbers for a Brigham Billiard – 02 for a small pipe , 03 for a medium pipe,… Continue reading Rehabilitating a Brigham Executive 604 Large Billiard with a Seized Stem
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