Brigham President Helm Smooth Freehand (Estate)

Brigham is Canada’s oldest extant pipe company, having been founded in 1906 by Roy Brigham. It is also (to my knowledge, at least) the only Canadian pipe brand to have had a whole book written about its history. Today, the pipes are best known for their distinct system for mitigating tongue bite, the Rock Maple Distillator. Essentially a long filter made from aluminum and rock maple wood, these filters were (and continue to be) marketed as a means of reducing tongue bite by absorbing moisture produced through use, while not restricting the draw of the pipe.

The “President” series is something of an outlier in Brigham’s contemporary production. While most Brigham pipes are fairly traditional factory briars, manufactured using traditional methods of mass production, the President is different in both regards. Such pipes are essentially “freehands” in the Danish style, with each one being handmade from high-grade plateaux briar. Originally, Herb Brigham (Roy Brigham’s son) was the sole carver of the company’s President series, and since his passing, only the most skilled carvers have been accorded that role.

The condition is great. Minor inner rim darkening and some slight handling marks. This pipe is chambered to accommodate one of Brigham’s proprietary Rock Maple Filters if desired, though it’ll also perform perfectly well without one.

Details:

Length: 6.2″ / 157.4mm

Bowl Width: 0.86 / 21.84mm

Bowl Depth: 1.88″ / 47.75mm

Weight: 1.4oz / 42g