Not only did I get to go to Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and France for the first time in my life, I set out to acquire something I couldn't get in the United States... Paul Becker is a master pipe craftsman from Germany. Very rarely do his pipes ever show up for sale in the U.S. So, it was my goal to seek out a shop in Munich that dealt in his brand of pipes. I needn't look for long. One of the oldest and most well respected pipe shops in Germany is Pfeifen Huber of Munich. They had at least 20 Paul Becker pipes to choose from and it took me an eternity to decide.
The people at the store were super friendly. They even let me behind the counter to look at the pipes since they were in a pull out drawer. Naturally, I handled each one as if it were the most precious and delicate item I've ever held. The woman there even joked (in German) with my fiance that she would hire me in a heartbeat based on my careful handling of each pipe. They even allowed me a free tin of tobacco since I said I was getting this as a gift for myself for my birthday. Incidentally, I chose the Pfeifen Huber branded English Classic which has since become my favorite English blend (much to my dismay as I can only purchase it in Germany).
What struck me most about this particular pipe was the extreme birdseye on the left side. I own no other pipe with this much character. The pipe shape was also an attractant. I liked the mix of squared edges transitioning into a smooth bowl, The Rosewood cap on the shank and convertible shank are a lovely touch.
In contrast to all the birdseye is a ton of straight grain across the bottom becoming more of a flame grain towards the front/right of the bowl.
This pipe has so much character due to it's angular shapes. While all the Paul Becker pipes were amazing, I couldn't help but be drawn to this pipe and everything that made it unique among all the pipes I've seen before. While a large number of pipes that I have are hand made one-of-a-kind pipes, this one stands out as the most interesting design of my collection so far.
And it smokes fine too!
Happy Puffing!
T
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