S&R Woodcrafters for PCI 1985 Smooth Billiard Estate Briar Pipe, Unsmoked

Description

Stephen and Roswitha Anderson, of S&R Woodcrafters, were two of the United States’ most renowned artisan pipe-makers. They were also one of the very few examples of a husband and wife pipe-making partnership, like Les and Dolly Wood of Ferndown or Love Geiger and Sara Mossberg of Geiger Pipes. Stephen and Roswitha began making pipes in the 1960s, soon developing a loyal following for their pipes in North America and in Europe. Stephen Anderson passed away in 2009, though Roswitha carries on the S&R legacy from the workshop the two once shared on a converted farm in Ohio.

I do love a pipe with a good story behind it. Long time visitors to MBSD Pipes will be a little familiar already, but for everyone else, here it goes.
In 1983, an American pipe collector named Bruce Spencer created a magazine for fellow pipe collectors, called Pipe Smoker. In tandem with Pipe Smoker, he founded Pipe Collectors International, a kind of pipe club that the magazine would be the publishing arm of. In 1984, PCI started releasing a yearly, limited edition pipe for its members, with the first being made by Preben Holm. And PCI took these pipes very seriously. Because they were meant to be collectors’ items, PCI kept a registry of all of the pipes that had been purchased, along with the member that had purchased them. If the pipe was sold on, PCI even asked that the previous owner contact them, so that their records of ownership could be updated, presumably so that a paper trail documenting the pipe’s provenance could be maintained. Ultimately, in 1989, PCI and Pipe Smoker were dissolved.

For 1985, it appears PCI members had a choice: their annual pipe could be a Stanwell, or it could be one made by Stephen and Roswitha Anderson of S&R Woodcrafters. Certainly not an easy choice to make, especially as I’ve seen the Stanwell that lucky PCI members were able to choose. Hopefully some were able to grab both.
As for the S&R, as can be seen here, PCI members got their hands on a beautiful large, saddle billiard, with some of the finest straight grain around. It’s no wonder what Stephen and Roswitha would be enlisted again by PCI for another club pipe just a few years later.

This pipe is completely unsmoked, and comes with its original box and certificate of authenticity from PCI president Bruce Spencer.

 

Details:

Length: 6.6″ / 167.6mm

Bowl Width: 0.89 / 22.60mm

Bowl Depth: 1.87″ / 47.49mm

Weight: 1.9oz / 56g