Basically sticking wisely to what the business had historically been famous for, good quality, value for money, popular, classic shaped pipes. In 1988 Peterson decided to issue a special Millennium Edition set of two pipes commemorating the City of Dublin’s 1000 year founding ( ). The first pipe was a Dublin shape (what else!) and an Oom Paul. Each pipe was sold individually featuring a special sterling silver hallmarked band and came with a ribbon wrapped parchment scroll in a blue presentation box. 1987 saw the introduction and Issue of the first Sherlock Holmes ‘Original’ Series of pipes. The Sherlock Holmes series is probably the most successful series of pipes ever introduced by Peterson in terms of numbers.
I also enjoy how tactile these pipes are, they snuggle in beautifully in the hand. With the pipes being so big I would imagine they will not be to everyone’s taste. My own view is somewhat biased, the Darwins were probably tailor made with me in mind!! I find them brilliant smokers, the bowls never heat up, because they are so large and the shape is so very comfortable for longer periods of smoking. Personally I give them a slight edge over the Mark Twains in that department.
Nearly all are bents, except for one straight model, shape reference 31. As well as the traditional Walnut finish, there are also additional colour choices with red and ebony, plus rusticated and sandblast. Prices can vary considerably from around $88 for a basic finish System and up to $250 for a Deluxe. Perhaps the most notable design from the Kapp & Peterson factory was Peterson’s famed ‘DrySystem’ pipes. Before it was Peterson Pipes it was the Kapp Brothers – Friedrich and Heinrich Kapp, German immigrants to Ireland from Nürnberg, Germany, who founded the famed Kapp Brothers store on Grafton Street, Dublin, in 1865. Then one day a Latvian immigrant, Charles Peterson, strolled into the Kapp workshop and declared that he could make better pipes than they.
In July of the same year he opened a new shop in 53 Grafton Street selling Briar and Meerschaum pipes. The Kapp brothers, George and Frederick originally emigrated to Great Britain from Nuremburg in Bavaria. They first appear in the London trade directories in 1866, when they are listed as Meerschaum pipe makers of 98 Dean Street, Soho, London. They then parted company in 1869 and established their own pipe shops independently of each other. By purchasing from The Pipe Nook, you affirm that you are of legal age to smoke tobacco products in your locality. They have also had a full lineup of tobaccos that the P&C Faithful have flocked to for years.
Owning such pipes is like having access to miniature time capsules. The ‘Original’ series was introduced piece meal, every 6 months a new shape until the 7 day set was complete. The same procedure was later adopted for the next series, Return of Sherlock Holmes. English made Peterson pipes actually spanned the period between the pre Republic and Republic eras.
Each year since then, Peterson has continued to issue through it’s many global retailers, a Christmas pipe, now known as a “Holiday Season” issue. Throughout the early eighties they made several batches of so-called numbered limited editions.Culminating in 1985 with their Mark Twain 150th Gold anniversary. My recent enquiry to Peterson’s Dublin factory, has born fruit, those magicians have just returned the pipe with it’s newly restored, made to measure, black acrylic saddle stem. I am very pleased with the new replacement stem, as I consider this to be a very significant pipe from Petersons wonderful past. Whenever I go through the old Peterson catalogues, it is like being a big kid all over again, drooling over illustrations and line drawings of pipes which I long to hold and admire.
This modest increase is credited by many to retro-loving students. Facebook and MySpace have thousands of members signed up to various pipe smoking enthusiast groups. Let us hope that Peterson continue to flourish peterson pipes in this new groundswell of optimism and the hope for the increased demand for quality classic pipes. In 1898 another of Peterson’s innovative pipe inventions became available and was also patented.
The opening in fishtail mouthpieces is available in several sizes in order for the smoker to have options as to how much smoke they can get with each draw. The draw is good, and the flavour is particularly great in new pipes. As for the aesthetics and ergonomics, I find some shapes much more attractive than others.
Whether you’re browsing for your very first pipe or are a seasoned collector in search of a rare gem, know that every pipe in our catalogue carries with it that same preservation of tradition. A Peterson pipe isn’t just a utilitarian tool; it’s a piece of history you can carry with you in your travels, a faithful companion to accompany you through all that life offers. The P-Lip mouthpiece, or P-Lip tip, is a unique stem that directs smoke toward the palate, resting on top of the tongue.
In 1979 and 1980 Peterson commenced production of the Mark Twain gold banded numbered limited edition, numbered 1 through to 400. The pipe proved to be so popular that the number was quietly increased to 1000. The issue was such a great success and prompted further production of more pipes in 1981 to satisfy demand, with the Mark Twain second numbered silver banded edition, numbered 1 through to 1000, each in special presentation boxes. Some were also issued with limited edition pewter statues of the famous author. For the Peterson System pipes to work properly, the stem/tenon has to have an extension, the tip ofwhich will pass by the draft hole from the bowl and into the sump. Upon the smoker drawing insmoke, this extension then directs the smoke down and around the sump to dispense a lot of themoisture before the smoke enters the extension and stem.