Ferndown Bark 2 Star Bent Poker Estate Briar Pipe, Unsmoked

Description

Ferndown pipes were made by the legendary British pipe-maker Leslie ‘Les’ John Wood, along with his wife Dolly. Both Les and Dolly previously worked for Dunhill, where Les developed his skills and reputation as Britain’s premier pipe silversmith, as well as one of its premier pipe carvers. Ferndown pipes are highly coveted by pipe-smokers due to their superlative craftsman(and woman!)ship, whose bowls are oil-cured and which typically feature beautiful silverwork. Sadly, Les and Dolly retired from pipe-making in 2016, making Ferndown pipes rather scarce – especially given how difficult it is to get their owners to part with them.

When I think of the “signature shapes” made by Les and Dolly Wood for Ferndown, the two that first come to mind are their Dublins and their pokers. While it’s true that their bulldogs were also magnificent, there’s something about how sturdy and muscular their Dublins and pokers were that really set these pipes apart from just about any other maker. This is a very classic Ferndown poker, being broad, rugged, but also refined and even elegant. It blends a sharp and granular rustication (also known as the “Bark” finish) with smooth polished sections on the rim and base, in a way that’s almost almost like the old Dunhill Shell Briar cherrywoods, while also adding Leslie’s renowned silverwork in the form of a sterling collar.

This Ferndown is completely unsmoked, with an original bowl coating. It also comes with its original box and sleeve. The box is a little scuffed, so I’ll knock off a few dollars for that.

 

Details:

Length: 6″ / 152.4mm

Bowl Width: 0.83 / 21.08mm

Bowl Depth: 1.53″ / 38.86mm

Weight: 2.5oz / 72g