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From the past – extracts are from our 1971 print Catalogue Collector’s Pieces – no longer in production Cherrywood Pipes: The unusual, sweet-tasting cherrywood pipe is manufactured from the French wild cherry tree. The wood is aged for 3 or more years in special drying hangars, steamed to prevent splitting, and then dried again. Because cherry wood is softer and more porous than briar, it has a greater absorbent quality, and offers an exceptionally cool and fragrant smoke. The bark is left on to enhance the taste. The top manufacturer was Ropp – and the pipes were priced according to size and workmanship. The price of the Giant at the time was 25% more than that of a Falcon Standard bowl, which today sells for R319.00 – that would make current price around R400.00 Unfortunately, these are no longer made – Collector’s pieces The pipes are all in excellent condition – and never smoked.
254-RfRoppSup R250.00 Ropp Cherrywood Supreme with band and vulcanite reinforcement to shank – extra strength and beauty.	254-RfRoppChur R195.00 Ropp Cherrywood de Luxe Churchwarden – extra length for enhanced taste	254-RfRoppGnt R295.00 Ropp Cherrywood de Luxe Giant

	254-RfCheriLge R125.00 “Cheri” brand cherrywood. A nice large piece.
The Pipstar – from Switzerland Vulcanised rubber mouthpiece screwed into the piston eliminates all possibility of breakage when opening or cleaning the pipe. Specially constructed annular filter completely refreshes the smoke and eliminates all condensation The filter end stops tobacco from entering the stem Piston for tamping and cleaning the bowl Incombustible inner lining of bowl The tobacco burns perfectly dry Mobile cover with grill: ashes and pieces of burning tobacco cannot escape	254-RfPipstar R495.00 on preview days*
These pipes are sadly no longer made, but we sold many in those days. Completely dry, very cool and easy to keep clean. It was considered the ideal car or outdoor pipe – and “the pipe with the modern look” Current price would be around R800.00 Excellent condition, hardly smoked.

254-RfSavKal R695.00 The Savinelli “Kalumet” Table Pipe -“Ideal for smoking in bath or in bed” we said at the time! Right now we’d say excellent for studying, working or reading. Current price would be around R995 Perfect condition. Never smoked.

	254-RfSavGD R795.00 Savinelli General Dawes – The ever-popular Oom Paul shape in a double briar bowl with centre air space for an exceptionally cool and dry smoke. A washer ensures an airtight seal between the two bowls. 4 smoke holes on the inner bowl ensure a comfortable draw. Black rusticated finish. Just look at the quality of the briar on the smooth inner surface. Current price would be around R1450
Savinelli Punto Oro Birds Eye. “The Gold Dot” represents the highest quality from Savinelli. The “Birds Eye” range with its satin-matt finish was amongst our prestige pipes, but is no longer made. You just can’t get the wood. Both pipes have never been smoked, they are in pristine condition in their chamois bags. Current value of these Kingsize shapes would be around R3750.00
	Savinelli Punto Oro Birds Eye Kingsize Poker 254-RfSavPOB.Eye310ks R1995.00 Stunning Birds Eye grain covers the sides of the flawless bowl and shank with matching straight grain across the rest of the surfaces. A high percentage of hard wood indicates the quality of the briar.
Savinelli Punto Oro Birds Eye Kingsize 254-RfSavPOB.Eye904ks R1995.00 Almost entirely Birds Eye grain, with a touch of joining horizontal straight grain The relatively light finish shows off the high percentage of hard wood, and the flawless bowl.

Tagliabue - pipes styled by LORENZO The feel is what makes them special. The original Lorenzo company was founded in 1900 and exports started in 1922. In 1970 we were fortunate to pay our first visit to the factory in Gallarate, Italy and meet with Lorenzo, the Italian master pipe maker with a flair for design. Lorenzo Tagliabue passed away in the late eighties, but his reputation of being an artist amongst Pipe Manufacturers lives on in the distinctive styles he created. Pipesmokers who have owned a Lorenzo will be pleased with the value of these Estate pipes, those who are new to Lorenzo will be delighted with the lightness of these relatively large bowls, and the comfortable feel in the hand. These are styles from the 1971 range, so naturally no filter option. If you feel the need, just use a bowl filter. And naturally all Italian made, as opposed to the budget range from Albania. All unsmoked – each in perfect condition.
	254-RfLorDriv R795.00 Lorenzo Driver’s pipe: with a built-on, high quality, finely engineered metal windscreen, which swivels sideways for ease of filling and emptying. Then the pipe – a satin-matt mid-brown finish with good tight grain, small flaws and fillings hardly visible. Current value around R1500
254-RfLorBG R695.00 Lorenzo Bent Galore: One of the standing models, and the bend of the mouthpiece ensures perfect balance in the mouth. The oval bowl and the flat base fit so comfortably into the hand – you just want to hold the pipe. The bowl shows a stunning combination of Birds Eye and Straight grain, with plenty of hard wood and only a few small flaws/fillings. Current value around R1250
	254-RfLorNV R495.00 Lorenzo Nouvelle Vague: Part of a range of 6 shapes, available in 3 finishes. This is the half-bent model in a light-tan, lightly sandblasted finish. Well-wooded, but you know, every time we pick up a Lorenzo, both Gill and I say independently “oh, it’s so light!” Current value around R950
254-RfLorMil R695.00 Lorenzo Milan: A one-off shape, half-bent with a flat base and interesting stem. Note how the design of the triangular shank forms a balancing point for the standing pipe. The finish is hand-cut, and the small slice of smooth wood for the stamping shows the quality of the grain. Current value around R1350

Prolong the life of your favourite briar with a little more care and attention.

Professional Refurbishment.

Take a look at those old discarded pipes (discoloured, sour, damaged) - some of them may easily justify the cost of a professional repair or refurbishment. The bowl will be reamed, cleaned and sweetened with "mead", and the whole pipe polished to restore its dignified appearance - only the dents will remain as a reminder of past pleasures.
As well as replacement mouthpieces, a hole in the bowl or a cracked shank can be repaired.
You won't be able to buy a new branded pipe for the R100 to R150 the professional job may cost you. Bring in your pipe for assessment.

D I Y Refurbishment

Here is a step-by-step procedure:

There are 4 distinct cleaning processes:
1. Removing the build-up of tars and juices which collect inside the shank and mouthpiece, and in the base of the bowl.Work over a tray or dish lined with paper. Remove the mouthpiece from the pipe. Insert the nozzle of the CGA Pressurised Pipe Cleaner spray into the peg of the stem and press down for 2-3 seconds to release the spray. Repeat for the shank. Use a bristle cleaner to really scrub the inside of the shank and mouthpiece. Or you could dip the bristle in a solvent (eg Savinelli Pipe Clean, or some form of alcohol). You could pour or spray just a little solvent into the base of the inside of the bowl and work the bristle cleaner through from the slightly tilted shank.           
Try not to splash the solvent on the outside of the bowl or mouthpiece. Be careful not to start a hole in the base of the bowl through excessive twisting - and for very bent pipes go easy round the bend in the mouthpiece.
You have finished when the pipe cleaner comes through clean.
2. Keeping the carbon layer under control. When necessary, ream the carbon layer inside the bowl to an even thickness of about 1.5mm (R1 coin) - the T-shaped reamer from Savinelli or the precise, high-tech Senior reamer will do the job comfortably. Wipe the inside of the bowl with a little of the solvent.
3. Polishing the vulcanite mouthpiece to remove the bitter taste. Remove the oxidation from the mouthpiece with a mild abrasive (eg Dunhill Pipe Mouthpiece Polish, Savinelli Stem Polish or Jeweller's Rouge). This might require vigorous and lengthy rubbing (a whole TV programme). If very dull and green, a buffing wheel is a big help - remove the mouthpiece to prevent accidental breakage. With the buffing wheel, take care not to buff too hard on one spot - the vulcanite may burn. If the logo is stamped on the mouthpiece it will possibly disappear.
(A recent comment from a customer was that a buffing wheel is necessary when using "jeweller's rouge" but that he found a good hand rub sufficient when using Savinelli Stem Polish regularly.)
Watchpoint - water based cleaners or abrasives (eg Handy Andy, Vim) or alcohols (eg Meths, benzine) may add to the discolouration of the outside of the mouthpiece - extra polishing will be necessary.
4. Beauty treatment for the outside of the briar bowl. Polish the outside of the bowl with a wax polish (eg Dunhill Bowl Polish; Savinelli Bowl Polish) and a clean cloth. Again a buffing wheel can help - remember to remove the mouthpiece before starting.
(Corncobs shouldn't need a polish, but a beechwood will appreciate it once the varnish has worn off.)
5. Long term protection for the whole pipe.
The Dunhill Silicone Pipe Care Cloth: 100% waxed cotton - Rub lightly over the surface of bowl and mouthpiece after cleaning and polishing. Protects the pipe with an invisible film of silicone wax.

Complete Cleaning Kits are available from Denicotea and Dunhill

Finally, leave the pipe to stand bowl down for at least 24 hours before smoking.

NB Read about cleaning your Meerschaum - a very different process.

Prevention is better than Cure!
1. Don't oversmoke a pipe (especially your favourite) - it will become saturated and turn "sour".
Do rotate your pipes to allow each to dry out properly.
2. Do polish the mouthpiece regularly, don't let the oxidation get the upper hand.
3. Do allow the carbon layer to build in your new pipe - right to the bottom of the bowl - and then keep it reamed to about 1.5mm thickness to prevent cracking.
4. If yours is a filter pipe - do use the filter or use the adapter. Don't smoke without one of them, even once, it can lead to an ill-fitting mouthpiece through a swollen shank. This is almost impossible to rectify.
5. To prevent breakage, do hold close to the join when removing the mouthpiece from the bowl, and don't remove the mouthpiece until the pipe is cool.
6. Don't use a sharp pointed instrument to clean out the bowl - you may drill a hole in the bottom.
7. Do hold your pipe by the bowl (not the stem) when "tapping out" the ash; and don't knock it against a hard surface - you may break the shank or mouthpiece or crack the bowl. Fit a "cork knocker" to a handy ashtray.
The general principle to bear in mind is that the cleaner and drier you keep your pipe, the more enjoyable it will be to smoke - and the longer it will continue to give pleasure.

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