Dave Neeb Smooth Dublin Handmade Briar Pipe, New

Dave Neeb spent the first part of his life as an attorney. Upon retiring, however, he turned his hand to an altogether different vocation: pipes. First, Neeb was a pipe seller; he then learned the art of pipe restoration; finally, under the tutelage of Lee Von Erck and Rad Davis, he took up making artisan pipes himself. This continued for many years, with Neeb’s restoration of high-grade pipes being practiced side by side with the crafting of his own – pipes that deservedly amassed a cult following. Eventually, Neeb retired from pipe restoration and sales, but his pipe-making endeavors are, to the relief of many a smoker, not over yet.

Given all the James Upshalls that have come through recently, I was a little surprised, when this pipe landed on my desk, that it wasn’t one of them. Then again, I wasn’t very surprised, as I’ve plenty of first-hand experience to know that Dave Neeb certainly knows how to make a pipe. There’s certainly something of an Upshall or, rather, Charatan, vibe to the shaping of this Dublin, and its flame grain and featherweight stature does evoke the hand-turned English greats of the last century. In any case, it’s sure to be a treat for eyes and teeth.

Details:

Length: 5.4″ / 137.1mm

Bowl Width: 0.82 / 20.82mm

Bowl Depth: 1.53″ / 38.86mm

Weight: 0.9oz / 26g