CLAY TOBACCO PIPES
+

The Reverend William D. Brown, for reasons most incomprehensible, voluntarily and without compulsion chose to inflict the severest psychological and spiritual pain upon himself by spending nearly ten full days with yours truly during the autumn glory of October. Given my own sins and eccentricities such a sacrifice on his part is no mean display of the deepest and most abiding kind of friendship. Moreover, as if the grace of his visit were not enough, this kindest of Christian gentlemen presented me with a clay pipe. Mr. Brown and I have been generous towards one another in various ways for two decades now, but in recent years pipes and tobacco have become the currency of our camaraderie. Naturally, we try to transact business at every opportunity possible. In turn--but not in return--I gave him a couple of Wally Franks dating back to the mid-fifties.

Long before aficionados discovered the excellence of briar they incinerated their favorite blends in the containment of clay. Long-stemmed "mud" churchwardens with little chambers were the fashion of the day, and they functioned quite admirably. They still do. Right now I am puffing on the one given to me by the charitable Reverend. It is a modern reproduction similar in style to those of the 17th century, sporting an 11-inch stem and a pot small enough to get me arrested. Needless to say, I am enjoying my friend's gift to the utmost as I write this article.

The singular advantage of clay is honesty. It allows one to experience the unique character of fair Lady Nicotine without adulteration. When you burn her graceful bounty in briar you are burning the wood to some extent as well and, thus, the draw is pleasantly but distinctly flavored by both. However, since only the tobacco smolders in a mud bowl that is all you taste, nothing more. If you create your own concoctions as I sometimes do, earthenware certainly provides a wonderful means of measuring your success.

The singular disadvantage of clay is fragility. It breaks easily and must be handled with care. Nevertheless, if you treat it delicately, you can smoke it indefinitely.

The pipe Mr. Brown bestowed upon me came from OLD WORLD FINE CLAYS in Nova Scotia. Stephen Bray is the pipemaker; his craftsmanship is commendable. He can be reached by phone at (902) 849-1383. Also, you can check out his web page at: http://www.bytor.com/pipes/pipes.htm

You really ought to try one of these things. It is a seriously cool smoke, and I mean that quite literally as well as figuratively.

John 14:6
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws