Book Description
This is the first American book to consider the history and development of the tobacco-smoking pipe as an art form and is an illustrated guide for pipe collectors. Here the author has assembled fact and fancy, history laced with humor, and a chronological collection of pipes. The accompanying text explains pipe styles, materials, and values. Besides present-day briars and corn cobs, pipes can be found made of meerschaum, porcelain, ivory, amber, silver, gold, semi-precious stones and rare woods. Craftsmen have combined imagination, whim, and fantasy to create pipes of fine artistic value.
Customer Reviews:
General pipe collecting.......2006-08-09
Ben Rapaport has achieved supplying a valuable book for the average pipe collector which covers a wide spectrum of pipe styles. Personally this book will spend a lot of time travelling the world with me.
M McKelvie
Book Description
Rare Smoke is the first book devoted to the total spectrum of collecting 20th century briars, or "estate pipes," as they are popularly called. From its first whiff of a start in the early years of the 20th century to billowing clouds of enthusiasm created by today's devotees, Rare Smoke brings exciting new discoveries and never before revealed facts to this smoke-filled hobby.
Based upon more than two decades of detailed research through numerous pipe company archives, personal correspondence, exclusive interviews with members of famous pipemaking families, and drawing upon his own extensive knowledge and industry contacts (not to mention his collection of over 2,000 rare and unique briars), the author has given today's pipe collector a thorough and factual book that focuses not only on some of the most prominent 20th century pipe brands, but also some of the most obscure.
With over 100 color and black and white photos and written in the author's well-known entertaining and conversational style, Rare Smoke clears away years of misinformation and speculation, and opens up a new, fact-filled frontier for the pipe collector to experience and enjoy. Printed in a limited edition of only 2,500 copies, Rare Smoke is destined to become as collectable as many of the pipes depicted within its pages.
Customer Reviews:
Rare Smoke........2007-08-14
Exellent. This book gets right to the heart of the matter. I thought i knew all, but how wrong i was. Great book Richard.
Excellent Pipe Reference Book.......2007-01-11
This exceptional book "Rare Smoke" allows me to have the information at my finger tips when I need to find out facts regarding rare pipes that I might otherwise of not known.
For the serious collector, or even novice, the information is priceless. The format is as usual, and easy read, in the classic author "RCH" Richard Carleton Hacker style. Highly recommended.
Joe Hamilton
Rare Smoke The Ultimate Guide to Pipe Collecting.......2003-07-16
I have found this book to be very interesting to say the least, it is very explanatory on what to look for in the world pipe collecting. One cannot read this book once and gain the knowledge about pipe collecting, as each pipe has it's own characteristics to compliment the personality of the pipe smoker. I find myself having to revert to this book when interested in a certain pipe, a couple of helpful areas of expertise are the hallmarks and the discriptions of the individual pipes and how they have changed througout the history of 20th century pipe collecting. This is a must have book for anyone interested in pipes, even if you are not a collector.
The Ultimate Guide To Pipe Collecting?.......2001-11-28
RARE SMOKE The Ultimate Guide To Pipe Collecting sounds like a reference book for pipe collecting. I have reference books on other subjects for collectors. Compared to these other books, I have the following comments on RARE SMOKE. First, this is a reference book that DOES NOT HAVE AN INDEX. The photographs are of low quality. There are photos that are so blurred that one cannot see the detail that they were included to illustrate. The content is very limited. Many manufacturers and models are not included. And dating and pricing most of the limited number of pipes that are included is not possible.
A Valuable Resource.......2001-08-13
If you are interested in Pipe collecting you should procure a copy of Richard Carleton Hacker's Rare Smoke. It is a wealth of information about numerous collectable brands and varieties of pipes. In light of the fact that there are so few books on this subject I am grateful to Mr. Hacker for his work.
Book Description
Stories of pipe-smoking's greatest craftspeople intertwine with advice and commentary in these essays on the art of pipe smoking. While exploring pipe craftsmanship worldwide, these writings combine tales of the author's visits to Europe's most prestigious pipe-makers with a look at pipe-smoking's history and the hobby's most famous practitioners, including Albert Einstein, Norman Rockwell, and Mark Twain. Interviews with Old World craftspeople provide insight into the delicate and personal craft of pipe-making, and a treatise on pipe-smoking's relaxing benefits intermingles with advice on how to smoke, buy, break in, clean, and use a pipe to cope with the frantic pace of the 21st century.
Customer Reviews:
Great Book-Everything You Want To Know On Pipes.......2007-09-24
In Search of Pipe Dreams Great Book! Very interesting reading-all I ever wanted to know about pipes-"How To's & Why.
One of the best..........2007-07-19
This is for me definitely one of the best books on pipes ever written. Very informative, yet written in an easy and catching style that really keeps you reading and reading and reading... without stopping. Lots of useful and very interesting information. If only Mr.Newcombe would write a sequel... Highly recomended for all pipe and tobacco lovers and other interested audience... One of my definite favourites among pipe books!
Enjoyable Reading.......2007-05-13
I really enjoyed reading this book. Not only does it have a lot of good information about pipes and pipe carvers, it also deals with the companies that prodce pipes. The author also tells about his travels all over the world in the pursuit of his greatest passion..pipe smoking.
Enjoyable reading.......2007-05-08
Great reading. A pipe adventure book where the author details his expeditions throughout Europe with the pipemakers themselves. A little too much emphasis on how the author's pipe must be modified to enjoy, but we each must enjoy our pipes however we feel. Too bad the pictures aren't in color to see the detail of these high end pipes.
OUTSTANDING REFERENCE BOOK.......2006-11-10
THIS IS A GREAT BOOK FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN COLLECTING PIPES. IT SHOWS ALL THE MANY FACETS OF PIPES. IT IS A WELCOME ADDITION TO MY REFERENCE LIBRARY OF PIPES!
RON DIENER
Average customer rating:
- Good book, but little information
- Best source, so far!
- Best source, so far!
- Whatýs there is great, but I wanted even more.
- My First Review
|
The Pipe Companion: A Connoisseur's Guide (Companion)
David Wright
Manufacturer: Running Press Book Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| Special Occasions
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Antiques & Collectibles
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Reference
| Antiques & Collectibles
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Fun with Paper & Wood, Stones & Knives
| Crafts & Hobbies
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Industrial, Manufacturing & Operational Systems
| Engineering
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Manufacturing
| Industrial, Manufacturing & Operational Systems
| Engineering
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
The Pipe Book
-
In Search of Pipe Dreams
-
Pipesmoking: A 21st Century Guide
-
Rare Smoke: The Ultimate Guide to Pipe Collecting
-
Collectible Pipes (Collectibles)
ASIN: 0762403233 |
Customer Reviews:
Good book, but little information.......2005-09-11
I red the 2000 edition. The book is somehow shallow. It's easy to read and provides some basic info, but that is too little too late for the average pipe aficionado in the internet era and also, doesn't explain the title.
I would appreciate a more in depth view on the pipe makers, more photos of their most celebrated works. Their brand's mission doesn't stand for a philosophy, I would have expected to see more on their design than on their work procedures. Some great pipemakers are not included. A good example is Steven Downie, who's works deserve such a recognition. Anyway, maybe it was too early in the 2000 edition for that, maybe it happens in the later editions.
The good point is that I've learnt more about the linkage between different pipemakers and pipe brands around the world, and also I've spoted 2 or 3 names I didn't knew about.
Anyway this is a good book, even if it's not very close of being a connoisseur's guide.
Best source, so far!.......2002-04-09
I have a number of pipe books and this is by far the best I have read. It has info on how each company prepares the briar as well as how they make their pipes. If I were to have to keep but one pipe book, this is the one I would choose!
Best source, so far!.......2002-04-09
I have a number of pipe books and this is by far the best I have read. It has info on how each company prepares the briar as well as how they make their pipes. If I were to have to keep but one pipe book, this is the one I would choose!
Whatýs there is great, but I wanted even more........2001-03-15
This is an informative and beautifully printed and illustrated book. Looking at the beautiful glossy photographs and reading the distinctive text is a delight, particularly when it is accompanied by smoking one of the fine pipes made by the carver you're reading about. However, I did wish that the book were comprehensive enough to fully live up to its subtitle of "A Connoisseur's Guide." I realize that to have included more the talented individuals and companies in Italy (e.g., Ascorti, Caminetto, Viprati, Tombari, Cavicchi,), Denmark (e.g., Former, Karl-Erik ), England (e, g., Charatan, Upshall), Austria (e.g., Matzhold), France (Comoy), Germany (Barbi, Becker, Mummert, Safferling) and elsewhere that are also handcrafting "high end" pipes would have made the book more expensive, but what a treasure it would have been. And given this book's subtitle, why spend precious pages describing Dr. Grabow, a company whose yearly production of machined pipes far exceeds the total output of all the artisans that are included in the book? If a subsequent edition is planned, I hope the author also thinks about consistently making his price ranges even more meaningful to the serious buyer by matching them up with the grading systems used by each carver. Even if this is not done in the text, an appendix just giving the grading systems would be most helpful.
My First Review.......2001-02-05
I found this book to be a rather nice departure from the "standard" pipe tome. There was not the prerequisite history of tobacco and Sir Walter Raleigh's life story.
Instead, there is an enjoyable, concise background section along with a chapter on "how to smoke a pipe" that was equally pointed and factual. The book seemed nicely non-biased and simply presented known facts about a given carver or company along with clear glossy photos (albiet of the most expensive examples) of that nameplate complete with price ranges.
It is a quick read, but also a nice reference work that I have already found helpful as a quick "go to guide." It is a keeper in my small, but ever expanding library of pipe related printed media.
Book Description
Pipes have been around nearly as long as human civilization itself. But it isn't only smokers who enjoy them! Just consider the tremendous diversity of shapes, sizes and color-- not to mention the variety of materials used to make them, from clay to boxwood to porcelain, including corncob, briar, and meerschaum. Pipes are created all over the world. Some are such amazing works of sculpture that you might even forget their original function. So whether you are interested in antique or brand-new pipes, whether you prefer models that come from molds or those that have been carved, and especially if you're curious about the topic, this book is the perfect resource.
Book Description
The author who reintroduced America to pipesmoking has done it again with his newest book. The 165-page softcover contains over 90 never before-seen color and black & white photographs with chapters on pipemaking, buying, smoking (including a step-by-step guide to lighting up), tobaccos, and a "Tobacco Taster's Menu of Blends," describing over 100 commercially available pipe blends. There is even a Pipesmoker's Sourcebook with publications and organizations.
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful Guide.......2007-05-13
Richard Carleton Hacker has taken a direct line to writing everything a person needs in taking up pipe smoking. From the history of pipes, to selecting your first purchase and how to enjoy your pipe for years to come. I have also ordered his "Ultimate Pipe Smoking Video" and am awaiting its arrival. You cannot go wrong in purchasing this book.
A great source of information for all levels of pipe smokers.......2003-11-29
Richard Carleton Hacker is, in my words, a true and honest teacher and "fellow traveler" in his explanations of all facets of pipes and pipe smoking. He humorously and humbly tells of his learning experiences that led to his vast knowledge of this subject. Mr. Hacker reveals a history, a future, and above all, a presence of pipe smoking that is not only thought provoking, but educational for all.
If anything is lacking at all in this book, I would say it is the absence of reviewing any G.L. Pease blends in the tobacco section. However, this is a relatively new tobbaco blending line. Hacker would only be stepping too far, perhaps, on relaying information that he may have not tested fully to give an honest opinion. His tobacco reviews are no more subjective than the rest of ours may be. I favor the "English style"tobaccos, myself. Hacker is probably much less subjective than I would be in writing similar reviews. We all have our choices on what is "better" or "not as". Our author encourages the reader to elaborate on his views.
We all have different views on what shape, grade, or brand of pipe we choose. We are given a resource guide that allows us help in choosing what we may be looking for in a pipe or smoking accouterment. And, I sure gained a better insite into improving my skills as a pipe smoker.
I believe that Richard Carleton Hacker's "Pipesmoking - A 21st Century Guide" is by far the best that is out there. It's a GEM. I can only look forward to a later addition that may elaborate on his future reviews of the latest trends in pipe smoking.
Overall good book to read.......2002-08-24
Gives a personal reveiw of major brands of tobacco that is something to use for reference. It is very similar to his other books with some added information. It would be a good starter for someone who wants to start smoking.
Typical Hacker publication.......2002-04-09
Typical Hacker book here. Lots of useful info as long as you can sift through his very high opinion of himself. Makes good reading, but don't hesitate skipping the parts where he talks about how important he is to the industry...
Typical Hacker publication.......2002-04-09
Typical Hacker book here. Lots of useful info as long as you can sift through his very high opinion of himself. Makes good reading, but don't hesitate skipping the parts where he talks about how important he is to the industry...
Book Description
Here is a thorough exploration of every type of pipe, with in-depth explanations of their origins, structures, and uses, as well as fascinating anthropological discussions that span the entire world and hundreds of years. Included are everything from primitive makeshift, mound, and earthen pipes through models of ivory, clay, and porcelain to the modern briars, cobs, and meerschaums, with analyses of the significance of smoking in different cultures, from the ancient Mayans to twentieth-century Europeans and everything in between. The Pipe Book offers the most exhaustive coverage of the history and variety of pipe smoking in print, written with the authority of a name known to every pipe smoker; it is the perfect gift for any pipe enthusiast, and an absolute necessity for pipe collectors.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting Read.......2006-08-13
This book has lot of informative history of tobacco and tobacco smoking. The stories incouded were not only interesting but also full of intrigue. It includes a description of different pipes and their uses. I very much enjoyed learning about the humble beginnings of the Dunhill family. It does make a wonderful coffee table book. VERY WELL PLEASED!!
More of a reference guide to pipes throughout history..........2002-01-31
While this book is filled with fascinating drawings of strange and unusual pipes from around the world, it is certainly not one of those "just sit down and read it from cover to cover type books." Think more of an "a to z" dictionary of pipes. As a novice pipe smoker, I was hoping for something more informative on the actual mechanics of pipe smoking. I would highly recommend The Perfect Pipe by Jeffers or, if you can find a copy, Weber's guide to pipes and pipe smoking.
Book Description
Collecting Antique Meerschaum Pipes: Miniature to Majestic Sculpture, 1850-1925 is an illustrated guide to the smoking utensils made of a mineral that has been used since at least the early 1700s and which is, today, still a popular material. In the last decade, a surge in interest in tobacco collectibles has already spawned many books on cigarette lighters, cigar-box labels, and snuff boxes and bottles. This book now comes at a time when antique meerschaums are taking center stage, and collecting them is like buying blue-chip stocks. Ben Rapaport is one of the few internationally recognized authorities on the subject of antique pipes, and in this, his second book published by Schiffer, he has created a powerful and convincing tour de force in word and picture that evidences why so many pipe collectors have a fervent passion for these exceptional works of art. Ranging from very diminutive and expressive cigarette holders to massive sculptured pipes, these instruments were produced by many talented, skilled, and unknown craftsmen working in a cottage industry trade 150 years ago. The caliber of their handiwork and the myriad imaginative meerschaums they produced cannot be duplicated anywhere in the world today. Now, this volume is a permanent record of their unrivaled genius.
Customer Reviews:
A "must read" book for pipe collectors........1999-03-20
As a collector and admirer of meerschaum pipes, this is the book I've been waiting for. The author, Ben Rapaport, is well known among antique pipe fanciers for his earlier works, including the standard work, Complete Guide to Collecting Antique Pipes (which discusses all types of antique pipes not just meerschaums, published in 1979 and recently reprinted) and the lovely and informative Museum of Tobacco Art and History Guidebook (1996). But his newly published book, Collecting Antique Meerschaum Pipes, is in a class by itself. Although Rapaport is the leading authority in this area, he primarily lets the pipes do the talking. Of the 176 pages, the first 50 contain the scholarly background which addresses the questions of how, who, why and where these pipes were created. But even in this section at least half of the pages are dedicated to wonderful photographs of pipes, old catalogs, craftsmen and workshops. The remainder of the book is an absolutely gorgeous album of some of the most beautiful and extraordinary meerschaum pipes ever sculpted. The photographs are large so that one may see the exquisite detail, and where appropriate the reader is provided with additional particularly detailed pictures. The photography is of exceptional quality, as one would expect to find in a first-rate art book. At the end of the book the author provides a compilation of the 19th and early 20th century manufacturers and sellers of these pipes organized by country and city, and an international listing of museums and shops where one might view some of these treasures today. It is hard to imagine that anyone other than Ben Rapaport could have created a book like this. The book brings together his many years of experience as an author and collector. But just as importantly he is known and respected by the many collectors who were willing to provide him with their pipes for inclusion in this collection. If you collect pipes, if you enjoy viewing small sculptures, if you are a fan of "working art," if you want to take a look into a small and not particularly well known world of master artists and craftsman of the late 19th and early 20th century then you owe it to yourself to buy this sumptuous book.
Average customer rating:
- Flush Decks and Four Pipes
|
Flush Decks and Four Pipes
John D. Alden
Manufacturer: Naval Inst Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Naval
| Military
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Antiques & Collectibles
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Ships
| Transportation
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0870211862 |
Customer Reviews:
Flush Decks and Four Pipes.......2001-11-06
John D. Alden is a retired U. S. Navt Commander with an eye for detail and the ability to make Naval history come alive.
In his book "Flush Decks and Four Pipes", Mr. Alden examines the early class of U.S. destroyers known as 'four pipers' or 'four stackers'. He follows them from their inception in 1917 through all their service, including World War II. Not only that, Mr. Alden provides a record of each of the 273 four stackers (indexed by hull number and name), including its commissioning and decommissioning dates and its ultimate fate.
The book is filled with black and white photographs and stories of particular four stackers, including illustrations of several that were overhauled or converted as time went by.
This book is highly recommended for anyone interested in the old four piper destroyers. The only thing it lacks are some color plates which would help modelers and others to visualize paint schemes.
Books:
- A Guide Book of United states Coins 2007 (60th Edition)(Spiral)
- America's Painted Ladies: The Ultimate Celebration of Our Victorians
- An Encyclopedia of Crazy Quilt Stitches and Motifs (4178)
- Atlas Major
- Bad Girl: A Novel
- Beaded Macrame Jewelry: Stylish Designs, Exciting New Materials
- Beautiful Stuff: Learning with Found Materials
- Beckett Baseball Price Guide #29 (Beckett Baseball Card Price Guide)
- Beginning Fingerstyle Blues Guitar (Book and Audio CD) (Guitar Books)
- Bridge to Terabithia
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Interest Rate Models - Theory and Practice: With Smile, Inflation and Credit
- All New Square Foot Gardening
- The Out-of-Sync Child: Recognizing and Coping with Sensory Processing Disorder, Revised Edition
- Off the Beaten Path North Carolina: A Guide to Unique Places
- The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down
- Apostles, Prophets and the Coming Moves of God: God's End-Time Plans for His Church and Planet Earth
- Wild About the Lowveld
- Que's Official Internet Yellow Pages, 2006 Edition
- Research Methods and Methodology in Finance and Accounting
- Les Recres Du Petit Nicolas
Collecting Antique Meerschaum Pipes: Miniature to Majestic Sculpture (Schiffer Book for Collectors)
