Chacom Pipe of the Year 1999 Smooth Hex Shank Apple Estate Briar Pipe, Unsmoked, 9mm

Description

Chacom is one of France’s most historic and iconic makes. Its founders, the Comoy family, began their career as boxwood pipe-makers in the early 1800s, before briar had even been discovered, with Henri Comoy (of Comoy’s fame) emigrating to England in 1879 and founding the country’s first briar pipe factory. In 1922, Henri and his nephews, the Chapuis, founded the Chapuis Comoy pipe factory in Saint-Claude, France, which shortly after began producing pipes bearing the partnered families’ names – ‘Cha’ for Chapuis, and ‘Com’ for Comoy. Chacom has been the biggest name in French pipes ever since.

Since 1978, Chacom has released a limited edition “Pipe de l’Année,” or “Pipe of the Year” to us English-speakers, of which only 1245 are made. It would appear, however, that in 1999, a second pipe of the year was made for the German market, where 9mm filters have long been the majority preference. This is not unprecedented, with Stanwell having done the same between the 1990s and 2000s. Interestingly, it seems that, unlike the unfiltered model, only 300 of this alternative pipe of the year design were made. It is a very lovely, flame grain bent apple, with a hexagon shank and (hand cut) stem and boxwood inlays, not unlike the old Hexagone line.

This pipe is completely unsmoked, having come to us in a new old stock lot from a shop closure in Europe. It has some very minor scuffs around the bowl, but nothing major.

The pipe features an original bowl coating and, as indicated, is chambered to allow for the use of 9mm filters if one prefers.

 

Details:

Length: 6.2″ / 157.4mm

Bowl Width: 0.80 / 20.32mm

Bowl Depth: 1.47″ / 37.33mm

Weight: 1.9oz / 56g