Tobacco Barn Blog

Jim Allison and the OC Briars

Tobacco Barn Crew — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 02:56:20 GMT

Jim Allison recently shared some of his favorite pipes with the OC Briars Pipe Club at the Tobacco Barn.

A small selection of JIm’s treasures (left). This oversized Peterson pipe (right) was
commissioned by Alfred Hitchock for a movie. Anyone know which one?

Jim discussing pipes with Rene C. and Jim V. at left. At right is his Dunhill
”Space Shuttle” pipe with gold “Barley” pattern band from 1982. Created in
honor of the first US Space Shuttle and how it was moved landing in California
piggyback on a 747 to it’s launch site in Florida. And yes, you can smoke that
little pipe.

Jim shows off a great example of a complete Kaywoodie 7 day set from the 30’s.
At left is an example of some beautiful silver spigot Petersons with cumberland
stems. Can you tell the photographer has a thing for Petersen pipes?

Jim had a willing and eager audience of fellow pipe enthusiasts. He held court
while puffing away on a beautiful Petersen meerschaum pipe.

In addition to displaying his pipe collection, he also brought along some 50 year-old Condor
pipe tobacco to share with those lucky attendees.

Jim mugs it up with Chad and Mike. Note
the small, smokable Dunhill pipe on a chain
hanging around Jim’s neck.

As Jim opened up his display cases like a Fuller Brush salesman, his fellow pipe smoking friends began to drool as he exposed one treasure after another.

While he had an extremely large selection of pipes to share, one can only wonder what treasures lay awaiting discovery in the depths of Jim's collection.

Special thanks go to Tom M. for the fantastic photos. You can find more of his pipe photos here.

Meerschaum As Defined By The Devil’s Dictionary

Tobacco Barn Crew — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 21:55:05 GMT

MEERSCHAUM, n. (Literally, seafoam, and by many erroneously supposed to be made of it.) A fine white clay, which for convenience in coloring it brown is made into tobacco pipes and smoked by the workmen engaged in that industry. The purpose of coloring it has not been disclosed by the manufacturers.

There was a youth (you've heard before,
This woeful tale, may be),
Who bought a meerschaum pipe and swore
That color it would he!
He shut himself from the world away,
Nor any soul he saw.
He smoke by night, he smoked by day,
As hard as he could draw.
His dog died moaning in the wrath
Of winds that blew aloof;
The weeds were in the gravel path,
The owl was on the roof.
"He's gone afar, he'll come no more,"
The neighbors sadly say.
And so they batter in the door
To take his goods away.
Dead, pipe in mouth, the youngster lay,
Nut-brown in face and limb.
"That pipe's a lovely white," they say,
"But it has colored him!"
The moral there's small need to sing –
'Tis plain as day to you:
Don't play your game on any thing
That is a gamester too.

Martin Bulstrode

We too have seen ones become too engrossed in the pursuit of coloring their beloved meerschaum pipe to pay attention to the more important things, like protecting our right to enjoy a fine bowl of tobacco now and again as a responsible member of society and not the criminal that so many would prefer we be!

Looking for fine meerschaum pipes? Try out the Tobacco Barn’s meerschaum pipes page. Looking for find out more about meerschaum pipes? Try MeerschaumPipes.com.

More New Pipe Tobaccos

Tobacco Barn Crew — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 23:53:26 GMT

Springing from the depths of “MixMaster” Tom’s mind come three new custom blend pipe tobaccos exclusive to the Tobacco Barn.

First up you’ll find Silverado pipe tobacco. Silverado is a replacement for the recently discontinued Arcadia and as such, has big shoes (or boots) to fill. This English-style tobacco has a flavor as big movie by the same name without succumbing to the “big budget” that caused the filmmakers so much grief.

The next new release is Balkan’s Best pipe tobacco. Balkan’s Best is another English-style pipe tobacco that follows in the footsteps of our traditional Balkan tobacco blend.

Last, but certainly not least, you’ll find our newest addition to our light aromatic lineup and that is the Cherry Ridge pipe tobacco. You’ll find that this is a delightful mixture of tobaccos that are infused with a cherry flavoring for a smooth, aromatic smoking experience. This is one tobacco that those around you will be clamoring for more as the pleasant cherry wafts around you.

But don’t take our word for it. Stop by the store anytime and give any of these new taste test. And if you forget to bring your pipe with you for tasting purposes, I’m sure Tom will gladly sell you another one right then and there!

Wall Street Journal Profiles Collegiate Pipe Smoking

Tobacco Barn Crew — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 20:11:11 GMT

While I’m not too terribly keen on the subheading of their article (“Despite Risks, More Young People Light Up; 'It Looked Like the Coolest Thing Ever'”) it is a pretty good piece overall. The timing of their article coincides with International Pipe Smoking Day so hopefully you’ll all break out your pipes and smoke a bowl or two!

Early on in the article they point out that:

Friday is International Pipe-Smoking Day, when a number of puffers will unite to protest tobacco taxes and smoking bans. They will also engage in slow-smoking competitions to see who can keep a pipe going the longest. Each contestant is given just two matches. Events, which will go on all weekend, are promoted by the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association.

The resurgence of pipe smoking with young adults is something that we have long supported here at the Tobacco Barn. Tom has become a go-to source for young pipe smokers in the area; coming to the lounge to learn how to do this activity correctly and enjoyable. Howard, a long-time customer and new employee, has also been spotted teaching young pups about their new pipes and tools and tobaccos.

"They're eager to learn," says 71-year-old Vernon E. Vig, president of the New York Pipe Club and the United Pipe Clubs of America. Mr. Vig started smoking a pipe as an undergrad at Carleton College 53 years ago. "Back then, everyone smoked a pipe," Mr. Vig says. His group, which meets monthly in Manhattan, has seen a definite increase in college students and young professionals, he says.

They also point out that the increase in pipe tobacco sales, despite continued shrinkage in cigarette sales:

But sales of pipe tobacco are rising again after years of decline, and many think young smokers are the reason. U.S. sales of pipe tobacco plummeted to 4.9 million pounds in 2006, from 52 million pounds in 1970, says Norman Sharp, president of the Cigar Association of America. Sales climbed to 5.3 million pounds in 2008. Pipe tobacco and smokeless tobacco sales are on the rise, offsetting over a decade of decreases in cigarette sales.

Let’s just hope that the latest federal tax increases on tobacco products, courtesy of the SCHIPs program, won’t dampen this increase. Now is the time for pipe smokers to stock up on their favorite pipe tobacco as prices will be going up as of April 1st. Not only will tobacconists need to recoup the cost of the tax on newly purchased bulk and tin pipe tobacco, but the provisions of the bill will be collecting an as yet unspecified “floor tax” which is a retroactive tax applied to all taxes already sitting on tobacconist’s shelves. Keep an eye out for an upcoming sales on pipe tobacco to help “clear the floors” and reduce the impact of these tax increases in the coming weeks.

Check out the full article: The Latest Thing They're Smoking in Pipes on College Campuses: Tobacco

Become a Tobacco Barn Fan on FaceBook!

Tobacco Barn Crew — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 15:35:34 GMT

Yes, now you too have the opportunity to become one of the few, the proud, the fans of the Tobacco Barn on our newly launched FaceBook page. That’s right, the Tobacco Barn now has a presence one of the fastest growing and hottest social networking sites for adults. Yes, you must be at least 18 to become a fan but fans of all ages can come to this page and check out the latest pictures, comments, discussions and events all from the comfort of your own wall FaceBook.

Our hope is that this will become a virtual extension of our non-membership lounge where people of fine character (and a few low characters too) can network and share ideas any time of the day or night.

Not a FaceBook member yet? Not to worry, you can still visit our page and view the upcoming events and many of the other features of this page. However, you’ve got nothing to lose by joining FaceBook and “fanning” us. Who knows, you might be able find the next big business deal or reconnect with lost friends through this service.

So check us out at http://www.new.facebook.com/pages/Lake-Forest-CA/Tobacco-Barn/60402654768 and become our fan!

About a Beautiful Pipe…

Tobacco Barn Crew — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 19:59:58 GMT

From time to time we get people that ask us about the pipe they’ve found or that someone has handed down to them. When we get great example pipes, I’d like to share them with you all here. In this case, I’m not sure where they got it but it is a great example of a well colored pipe:

Wow Carol, I must say, this looks to be a great pipe you've got there.

This is an example of a pipe that most likely dates from the turn of the last century. It is a smooth bulldog with gold accents. Overall, it is a fairly short pipe; what we would call a "nose-warmer" today.

The meerschaum bowl and shank appear to be exceptionally well colored. It is a little hard to tell from the pictures but I'm guessing that the color or the bowl/shank are a deep, rich brown; perhaps with a slight reddish cast to it? This is the sign of a pipe that has been lovingly smoked and taken care of over a long period of time. This particular pipe started out life as white as a sheet of writing paper and took on this color over time as the meerschaum (actually the wax/oil coating on the surface of the pipe) absorbed the color from the process of smoking this great pipe.

Since it appears to still have the original stem on it and from the markings you indicated, the stem is most likely made of amber which is rare. I can see bite marks on the mouthpiece but it doesn't appear to have been adversely worn down.

Again, working from pictures, it appears that the exterior leather finish on the customer-fitted case has been worn off and is down to the wood. Is that true?

The logo on the case indicates that it is from the William Demuth Company (http://www.pipetrader.com/Wiki/Default.aspx?page=William%20Demuth%20Company), which helps date it.

Best guess is that you could probably get in excess of $2-300 for this pipe if you were able to find the right buyer on a direct sale. You might have better luck selling this via an antique auction house as it would probably have value to an antique collector than to a pipe smoker. As with many items like this, if this was handed down to you via a relative or friend, its sentimental value would far outweigh it's value to a collector.

If you were looking to sell it, your best bet would be through PipeTrader, eBay or any number of different pipe collecting forums on the web. This is the type of item that we COULD try and sell for you on consignment and Ron can give you more details on this if you'd like. Chances are good that your local tobacconist would not have the type of traffic through the store that would truly appreciate and spend top dollar for an item such as this.

Best of luck and thanks so much for sharing these images with us!

MJG

Pipe Tobacco Cigars Have Arrived…

Tobacco Barn Crew — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 01:16:13 GMT

The Tobacco Barn is proud to announce the arrival of Tobacconist’s Choice Pipe Tobacco Cigars from Battleground Cigars. We’ve searched high and low to find the best Pipe Tobacco Cigars and decided that these great sticks are perfect.

These hand-made cigars are the brainchild of Michael Tarnowicz and are truly a family tradition. At any time you’ll find many members of the Tarnowicz clan working to turn out the best cigars from Connecticut shade and broad leaf tobaccos. But not just any Connecticut tobacco; their products are turned out from product certified to have been grown in Connecticut in the US!

We are currently carrying 3 flavors of their Pipe Tobacco Cigars: Smuggler’s Rum Sweet Vanilla and Triple Cherry. Tom and I sampled these at the IPCPR trade shown this last August and have been anxiously awaiting their arrival ever since. You’ll find those around you will enjoy you smoking these cigars as much as you do with their traditional pipe aroma.

Give them a try today and you’ll too be convinced that these aromatic cigars are perfect for those times when a pipe is just too impractical.

http://www.tobacco-barn.com/p-8283-tobacconist-choice-pipe-tobacco-cigars.aspx

Picture of rollers above courtesy of Battleground Cigars via CigarCyclopedia)

Spotted Meerschaum

Tobacco Barn Crew — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 08:19:00 GMT

We recently received an email through MeerschaumPipes.com website with a question from a pipe smoker about some problem he was having with coloring his meerschaum pipe. He wrote:

Subject=spotting on my pipe
I bought a new meerschaum and I started to smoke it and as i smoked it i noticed that spots were forming here and there. Is it because the stone is absorbing the wax or is the wax moving around. Its my first meerschaum and I don't want to ruin the look it will get.

Here is the answer that we provided back:

The spots can be caused by a number of different things.

Realize that meerschaum stone is a natural product and that impurities or differing densities of the stone may cause uneven coloring. This can be part of the fun/challenge of owning a meerschaum pipe.

Are the spots appearing where you've touched the pipe while it was hot? Normally, touching your pipe while it is hot is not an issue provided your hands are relatively clean. In other words, don't touch your bowl (warm or otherwise) after reading the newspaper or after changing the oil in your car.

Uneven coloring COULD be the result of uneven wax coating. This could be could be the result of "smudging" the wax with your hand while it is hot (not likely), by smoking your pipe too hot and driving the wax off (would normally result in a blackening of the shank/bottom of your pipe while the top part stays white) or by an inconsistent piece of stone (see first point above)

Our suggestion is to smoke it a while longer and see if the rest of the pipe catches up with the spots to the point that it no longer bothers you.

If after a reasonable amount of time (depends on how often you smoke it) the pipes appearance is still annoying you, you could remove the existing wax coating (which should remove almost all the color) and rewax it from scratch. This is NOT recommended unless you are fully willing to accept the consequences of your action. Many folks have tried this and ruined their pipe's appearance. There is probably little you can do (other than perhaps getting wax INSIDE the bowl) that would physically hurt your pipe but it may end up looking worse than when you started.

Can any of you others out there think of any other causes of spotting like this? Or potential cures to his problem? If so, speak up in the comments section below!

Composition for the Pipe

Tobacco Barn Crew — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 02:52:38 GMT

I found a reference to this piece by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) that he wrote when he was about 40. I thought that sharing this here would be most appropriate. This type of information should be shared far and wide with Brothers of the Briar (or meerschaum or clay or corn cob)…

Edifying Thoughts of a Tobacco Smoker (Die 'erbauliche Gedanken eines Tabakrauchers)

When e'er I take my pipe and stuff it
And smoke to pass the time away
My thoughts, as I sit there and puff it,
Dwell on a picture sad and grey:
It teaches me that very like
Am I myself unto my pipe.

Like me this pipe, so fragrant burning,
Is made of naught but earthen clay;
To earth I too shall be returning,
And cannot halt my slow decay.
My well used pipe, now cracked and broken,
Of mortal life is but a token.

No stain, the pipe's hue yet doth darken;
It remains white. Thus do I know
That when to death's call I must harken
My body, too, all pale will grow.
To black beneath the sod 'twill turn,
Likewise the pipe, if oft it burn.

Or when the pipe is fairly glowing,
Behold then instantaneously,
The smoke off into thin air going,
'Til naught but ash is left to see.
Man's fame likewise away will burn
And unto dust his body turn.

How oft it happens when one's smoking,
The tamper's missing from it's shelf,
And one goes with one's finger poking
Into the bowl and burns oneself.
If in the pipe such pain doth dwell
How hot must be the pains of Hell!

Thus o'er my pipe in contemplation
Of such things - I can constantly
Indulge in fruitful meditation,
And so, puffing contentedly,
On land, at sea, at home, abroad,
I smoke my pipe and worship God.

From: The Second Little Clavier Book For Anna Magdalena Bach

Perhaps a wee bit morbid but a great piece of pipe lore as well as an insight into the more introspective nature of pipe smoking.

Stop SCHIPS Expansion – A Smoker’s Call To Action!

Tobacco Barn Crew — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 20:53:16 GMT

Don’t be fooled, this isn’t just about cigarette smokers no matter what the popular press will tell you. It isn’t “about the children” as the sound bites might indicate. What it is about is the unfair taxation of a small portion of the population to fund a program that affects ALL of the citizens of the US.

The following is a press release from the National Association of Tobacco Outlets advising all responsible consumers of tobacco products to make their voices heard on this subject. It is imperative that we all band together and speak out against this unfair taxation of a small segment (less than 10%) of society for a program that has universal concerns. Why put this on our back?

A Call to ACTION on SCHIP Tax Increases!

If Congress passes a bill early in 2009 to expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) by significantly increasing the federal cigarette and tobacco taxes, the fallout from this expansion of government subsidized health care will likely include major cigarette and tobacco sales reductions, large increases in the number of store robberies because the value of tobacco products would be so high, a floor stocks tax on cigarette and tobacco inventory adding up to an estimated $5,000 per store, employee layoffs and even store closings.

The SCHIP program is a top priority for Democrats and may result in the single largest tax increase on one industry’s products in the history of the country. With President-Elect Obama a supporter of SCHIP, the possibility of a tobacco tax increase to fund the expansion looms large even though Obama made campaign promises not to increase taxes on any one who earns less than $250,000. The 2007 SCHIP bills proposed the following increases in the federal tobacco excise tax rates:

Tobacco Product

Current Tax Rates

SCHIP Bill Tax Rates

Percentage Tax Increase

Cigarettes

39¢ per pack

$1.00 per pack

156.4%

Large Cigars

20.719% of manufacturer’s price; cap of 4.875¢/cigar

53% of manufacturer’s price; cap of $3.00/cigar

6,000%

Little Cigars

4¢ per pack

$1.00 per pack

2,197%

Pipe Tobacco

$1.0969 per pound

$2.8126 per pound

156.4%

Chewing Tobacco

19.5¢ per pound

50¢ per pound

156.4%

Snuff

58.5¢ per pound

$1.50 per pound

156.4%

RYO Tobacco

$1.0969 per pound

$8.8889 per pound

710.36%

The Time to Act is NOW!!!

NATO’s legislative staff members are sending out to association members customer alert sheets to place on store counters and personalized letters addressed to each retailer and wholesaler’s particular U.S. Senators and Representatives. NATO members need to call their Congressional representatives, urge their employees and customers to do the same and fax the personalized letters to Washington, DC. All the names, phone and fax numbers of the particular Congressional representatives are being provided. NATO members need only dial the phone and fax the letters. Your voice and the voice of your customers need to be heard.

Turbulent Time for Tobacco Requires Grassroots Efforts

No one can say with 100% certainty how the SCHIP legislation will finally be resolved by Congress in 2009. What can be said is that the SCHIP bill is just the beginning of what will be a turbulent year for the tobacco industry. With some in Congress supporting federal cigarette and tobacco tax increases to expand SCHIP and more than 30 states with large budget deficits some of which will also propose higher tobacco taxes as well, NATO wants to remind its members that they must continue to contact their elected officials to be heard on tobacco issues. Maintaining that dialogue and urging customers to make phone calls continues to be an important part of opposing unfair tobacco legislation.

So don’t sit by idly and watch your pipe tobaccos get taxed by an increase of 156.4%, write, or better yet, call your local congress person or senator and let them know that this is just plain WRONG!

Tobacco Product	Current Tax Rates	SCHIP Bill Tax Rates	Percentage Tax Increase
Cigarettes	39¢ per pack	$1.00 per pack	156.4%
Large Cigars	20.719% of manufacturer’s price; cap of 4.875¢/cigar	53% of manufacturer’s price; cap of $3.00/cigar	6,000%
Little Cigars	4¢ per pack	$1.00 per pack	2,197%
Pipe Tobacco	$1.0969 per pound	$2.8126 per pound	156.4%
Chewing Tobacco	19.5¢ per pound	50¢ per pound	156.4%
Snuff	58.5¢ per pound	$1.50 per pound	156.4%
RYO Tobacco	$1.0969 per pound	$8.8889 per pound	710.36%