Ferndown Bark *** Partially Rusticated Brandy Estate Briar Pipe, English Estates

Description

Ferndown pipes were made by the legendary British pipe-maker Leslie ‘Les’ John Wood, along with his wife Dolly. Both Les and Dolly previously worked for Dunhill, where Les developed his skills and reputation as Britain’s premier pipe silversmith. After leaving Dunhill, Les and Dolly began making their own pipes, with their combined knowledge and experience, yielding pipes of a quality that, arguably, exceeded even that of their former employer. Ferndown pipes are highly coveted by pipe-smokers due to their superlative craftsman(and woman!)ship, being constructed from high-grade, oil-cured briar, hand cut ebonite, and, in many cases, sterling silver or solid gold ornamentation turned by Les himself. Les and Dolly retired from pipe-making in 2016, making Ferndown pipes rather scarce – especially given how difficult it is to get their owners to part with them.

Ferndown’s Bark series was one of those rare examples where the old phrase of “suffering for one’s art” was not mere hyperbole. As is explained in our interview with Les Wood on the main MBSD Pipes hub, “Barking” a stummel involved a split drill bit, a rapidly rotating motor, and an awareness that one wrong move could mean a deep laceration in his or Dolly’s fingers—or worse. But the results spoke for themselves, with the Bark finish being among the most acclaimed rustication style in pipe making history. Even compared to most smooth or sandblasted pipes, the Bark wins over many a mind and wallet.

This particular Bark is a large, panel brandy, incorporating many of the motifs found across Les and Dolly’s portfolio, along with a 10mm sterling silver collar turned and mounted by Les himself. Large, stout and sturdy, the design is further distinguished by a bowl segmented into smooth and rusticated sections based on the whims of the briar underneath. In this instance, the amount of “Barked” space on the bowl is relatively small compared to most others, though its sparing, symmetrical application nonetheless makes its presence felt.

The condition is very good. Minor darkening and slight charring on the inner rim, and slight finish fading.

 

Details:

Length: 7″ / 177.8mm

Bowl Width: 0.85 / 21.59mm

Bowl Depth: 1.58″ / 40.13mm

Weight: 2.5oz / 72g