So, some four hundred years ago pipe smoking was taking England and Europe by storm. Mission Pipe Shop is the oldest continuous purveyor of fine cigars, pipes, tobacco and smoking accessories in San Jose. Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, Mission Pipe Shop has been serving North & South Bay customers for over 37 years. Our original location was the old Town & Country Village shopping center, where we lived happily until we were torn down in 2000. We have been at our present location on The Alameda for the past 14 years.
There are huge numbers of artisan pipe carvers Fashion tobacco pipe creating beautiful work. Tobacco blends are very similar to the insurgence in craft beer and wines. Becoming a bit more commonplace today, the Squat Tomato is stunning with a dark sandblasted finish, a contrasting shank extension, and a smooth rim. Perhaps no shape embodies that of the smoking pipe more clearly than the classic Billiard.
Tobacco blend, humidity, altitude, ambient temperature, pace of puffing, pipe shape, pipe materials and pipe condition are just a few factors that affect the smoker’s experience. The good news is that smoking your blend, in your pipe, your way, is truly a unique and sublime experience in today’s frequently rough, often uncivil and contentious society. It is a true luxury that thankfully is available to virtually any adult. Factory brands and most high volume pipe makers generally cannot take the time to focus on this fine, but important factor. The better artisan pipe makers consider this attention to airflow requisite. That is not to say you cannot find a factory or high volume maker’s pipe that smokes well, only that a highly skilled artisan’s work is more likely to yield a good smoke.
The grain of the wood is quite fine, and it’s much harder than previous materials. While it was almost as fragile as its predecessor, Meerschaum did reign supreme as a pipe material for about a century. Artists loved it for its ability to be carved into anything; smokers appreciated that the material, once hardened in the sun or a warm room, offered a smooth smoking experience. If you notice stem bores of around 5/64” to 4/64”, it’s likely a tobacco pipe from the late 18th century or later.
We carry a full line of name brand pipes such as Savinelli, Peterson, and Nording as well as high grades from Tim West, Ser Jacopo, Poul Winslow, Beraldi, Savinelli Autographs and Mastro de Paja.
Metal pipes became popular in Norway in the 1760s, but Meerschaum still lasted a century. An economically friendly alternative needed to be found, or cigars and cigarettes would usher in a pipeless future. Meerschaum is still used today, mostly as carved decorative pipes from Asia for the tourist trade. Still, these fragile pipes were too expensive for a long-term habit. The long handle prevented hands and lips from touching the burning hot bowl of the pipe, but they also broke off constantly. You can clean the used tobacco pipe by soaking it in a mild detergent plus water solution overnight.
Currently, the oldest smoking pipes discovered by archeologists have been discovered in Egyptian tombs dating back to 2000 BCE. They were made of copper and were found alongside mummies (to be used in the afterlife), but whether they were used recreationally or ritually is unknown. Look for valuable details like silver or gold linings to hike the price of your old tobacco pipe. A good reputation is vital to these vendors so they pay careful attention to provide good service and often go above and beyond the usual return privileges one can expect from any good retailer. Most pipe historians point to Sixten Ivarsson as the pioneer of the Danish movement and style and his shapes form the core of what many refer to as “classic” Danish shapes. Ironically, Sixten was born Swedish and moved to Copenhagen where he started this Danish revolution.
Dunhill, Chacom, Peterson, Chartaran, and BBB are some of the oldest tobacco pipe brands. Vintage pipes from these brands with rare designs and material or gold or silver bands can fetch returns of up to $750. Longer stems allowed more tobacco consumption and limited, cooler, and more comfortable and pleasurable smoking experience. Used pipes, also called Estate tobacco pipes, with historical significance can get you valuable returns. Then came the briar wood pipes, which became even more popular among smokers. Thanks to their pleasant texture and heat resistance, briar pipes are valuable even today.
At Bisgaard Pipes we have chosen to only include the very best pipes from the foremost pipe makers of the world today. As you browse our collection, you will find high variety and many different price ranges, catering to the needs of both the beginning pipe smoker and the experienced collector. When a pipe maker begins to work on a Freehand pipe, there isn’t always an established shape that tobacco pipe he is determined to arrive upon. The piece of briar that is being worked, in some ways, has a will of its own.