Edward’s Magnum Smooth Freehand Estate Briar Pipe, Unsmoked

Description

While it has, at times, contracted other parties to produce pipes under its name, Edward’s used to manufacture both pipes and tobacco of its own, with a view to becoming the “American Charatan” for the former. The brand was a pioneer for American freehand pipes in this way, with its employed carvers including the great Randy Wiley. This particular pipe looks to be from around the 1960s-1970s, back when Edward’s prided itself on using choice Algerian briar (which the Algerian war of independence later interrupted the supply of) which was specially oil-cured and very lightly finished.

We’ve had a few of these beloved Algerian Briar-era Edward’s pipes in. Some have been quite traditional, others have been modern renditions of traditional shapes, and others have been more bombastic freehands in the early American, Danish-inspired vein. Like another Edward’s we had just recently, this is an example of the latter, Danish-American pipes and, just like that one, it is positively gigantic. At around 8 inches in length, it is only just the second largest Edward’s pipe I’ve yet seen, and is yet another testament to just how good the shop’s supply of North African briar was.

This pipe is completely unsmoked. I note a couple of small, worn out fills on the bowl’s underside, but nothing major in the slightest.

Details:

Length: 8″ / 203.2mm

Bowl Width: 0.88 / 22.35mm

Bowl Depth: 2.52″ / 64.00mm

Weight: 4.5oz / 130g