Mark Tinsky Mocha Group 6 Smooth Prince Estate Briar Pipe, American Estates

The American Smoking Pipe Company was founded in 1978 by artisans Mark Tinsky and Curt Rollar. Tinsky and Rollar’s venture was part of a new wave of North American hand made pipe making that emerged in the 1970s and ’80s, including artisan carvers such as Mike Butera, Tim West, Elliot Nachtwalter and Jorg Jemelka. Despite the name, American Smoking Pipe Co. was not a factory or large scale operation, but a simple pipe workshop and name shared between friends. Rollar departed the company in 1990, after which Tinsky remained at the reins into the 2000s, before selling his pipes under his own name.

This is a really distinct shape from Mark Tinsky’s American make. It’s a little like a prince, but with a longer shank and much shorter stem. In a way, it reminds me of the German artisans, such as Paul Becker, or even Karlheinz Joura, though Tinsky’s Mocha stain is instantly recognizable. True to the name, it’s a beautifully warm, dark brown hue, which still does wonders for the grain underneath.

The condition is great. Some minor rim darkening.

Details:

Length: 6.2″ / 157.4mm

Bowl Width: 0.83 / 21.08mm

Bowl Depth: 1.44″ / 36.57mm

Weight: 2.6oz / 74g