Elliott Pipes

I am a retailer that loves pipes and supplements the business by making them.  The shape of each pipe is dictated by the grain and or growth rings.  Because of this I can not feel comfortable doing special orders. 

Each pipe is a opportunity for me to do something creative.  It is hard to decide whether I enjoy the creativity or the feedback from the eventual owner the most.

In a good month I complete about two pipes.  At 30-35 hours per pipe there is just so much spare time.

I cut my own stems by hand.  Sandblasting is my preferred way of roughing up a pipe but on occasion I rusticate them.  No putty will ever be used to fill an imperfection.

My pipes have been enjoyed all over the world.  Some were ordered by various customers while others were taken there.  One of the more interesting ones was when Dr. Pat Ryan bought two as gifts.  He then took them with him on safari in Botswana.  One was presented to famous big game hunter Johan Calitz the other was for Tony Makris.  Tony has a program "UNDER WILD SKYS AFRICA" that is seen on ESPN2.  These guys all sat around the campfire smoking ELLIOTT pipes in the evenings.  I just wish I had pictures.

If it is pictures you want please look at PIPE & TOBACCO Spring 2006.  Dale Harrison did a great story about my pipes.

You can contact me at The Briary 1-877-3-BRIARY or (1-877-327-4279) toll free.  For further information or email us at thebriary@msn.com.  Directions to The Briary.

I just completed a virgin briar poker with a square bent shank.   It sits beautifully.  The tortoise saddle stem has a olive wood insert.  On both sides it has a black acrylic spacer.  I filed a little too much and got a slight groove on the lower right side.  It shows up in the picture.  The 4mm air hole is spot on and a pipe cleaner will pass through the stem in to the bowl.  I worked the inside of the stem for maximum air flow.  That can be seen in the photo of the stem.

The pipe has a nice flowing curve which makes a chunky poker look almost graceful.

This pipe has fantastic birds eyes that are very tight on both sides.  The worst imperfection can be seen on the right side of the last T in my name.  The other small flaw, which is on the right top side shows up much more in the photo than in real life.  I can barely see it and would have to know that it was there before I would see it.  The pipe is 5.25 inches long and 2 and 1/8th inches tall.

 Vesuvius is the first volcano I ever made.  It is made from briar bought from "Memo" in Italy several sears back.  Please take note of the smooth flowing lines.  In spite of the extreme curve a pipe cleaner will pass through the stem to the bowl.  The stem as well as the ferrule are made from a blue green brindle vulcanite. 

The bottom of the bowl is rusticated.  I love the way this one came out. 

 Super well defined sandblast.  Each groove was blasted one groove at a time.  The total time was split up over 3 days and it was blasted for 10 hours. 

In spite of the degree of roughness the pipe feels good in the hand.  The shank extension was made from birdseye maple with just a touch of tan stain.  The brindle stem separates between the two flares. 

 I love the way this one turned out.  It is made out of ebachaun briar that was harvested in the 50's.  This is a super clean pipe that is void of sand pits

The shape was inspired by a Danish pipe I had seen.  The stem and shank are trimmed with ZIRCOTE given to me by Bill Castleberry.  It is a South American wood that is like rose wood. 

The Clone.  I made this for a customer that cancelled at the last minute.  He wanted one like the billiard I made a few months ago.  This one came out real well. 

   Outstanding billiard with high contrast stain.  Dark brown with with yellow over stain. 

  The hand cut, tortoise colored, tapered stem matches the highlights on the pipe.  The stain takes three days to complete.  I used a ornate sterling silver ring to adorn the shank.  The air hole diameter is my customary  4mm. 

   Here is a very comfortable pipe that I just completed.  The pipe has a graceful curve from the top of the Cumberland stem through the Brazilian horn and on to the bowl.  I drilled the smoking chamber with a 13/16" bit.  The horn is a part of the stem. 

  I just completed a nice, large billiard in the tradition of the Dunhill LB series.  I love that chunky look. 

  This one has a Cumberland stem and I was able to use a sterling ring that I bought a year or so back.

  The grain is great although it does have some very small pits on the bottom. 

This sandblast is so extreme that it makes me think of the creature in the movie Alien with Ridley Scott.  So I just combined the name with all the ridges.  Works for me.  The sandblast on this was pains taken done one growth ring at a time.  The grooves are quite deep.

   I have always liked the Rhodesian shape so with the growth rings offered by the Italian briar I felt that I could not miss.

      One of the best pieces of briar I have worked.  A Danish looking pipe that has a wavy top.  The hand cut acrylic stem has a tortoise colored ring on the front.  The stain on the pipe is matched to the tortoise ring.  The stain started out black.  I then buffed it off and followed it with orange.  After the orange I used five coast of yellow. 

    The black section of the shank is Brazilian horn.  I was not convinced that the smoke passing through the horn would be safe, so to make it safe, I used a acrylic insert to go through the horn. 

     The walls of the smoking chamber are extra thick.  I am pleased with the outcome and of course it will pass a pipe cleaner.

This pipe has a graceful curve that flows from the tapered Cumberland acrylic stem all the way to the lightly sand blasted top.  The bowl has been rusticated and then sand blasted giving it a deep texture but a smooth feel in the hand.  The grain still shows up.  The shank has a Honduran Rosewood ferrule  that blends well with both the main body of the pipe which is reddish brown and the top with it's yellow cast. 

This is a one piece Calabash that has the air hole in the bottom center of the bowl like a meerschaum Calabash.  A centered air hole gives a perfect draw that enables the pipe to stay lit easily.  The bowl is 3" tall and 7-1/4" long.

 Elliott "Lucile" $450.00 SOLD

      Why this name?  B. B. King named his guitar after her.  I have no idea who she was but I envision  a sweet talking girl that you met at a bar.  She dresses real wild and is very colorful.

     This Dublin like pipe is just that sort of thing.  She is rough on the top, but it comes natural as it is plateau.  Her reddish, orange body makes you take a second look. 

   The yellow/orange stem sets her off even more but don't forget her manicure.  She has two white nails that look like they are on her shank but she just threw you a curve once more.  I noticed that she had a birthmark on her backsides just above her shank.  Otherwise she is a beauty.  I have always been a sucker for nice, long straight grain and she had it too.

I am in love with Lucile and I hope you are.

This is another one of my large pipes.  I had been wanting to use some sterling silver rings and they are too large for most shanks, but I was able to use one on this pipe. 

I love the way this one came out.  The black stain over a nice ring grain joined by the silver ring and ending with a way cool stem.  The tapered stem is translucent grey with light streaks here and there.  It reminds me of smoke rising.

This full bent will pass a cleaner with ease.  It just might be for you if you want a large bowl that is very comfortable.  The Smokey Black Bent is 2.5 inches tall.

 Thank you Mother Nature!  For once I worked a truly gorgeous piece of briar that did not end up with a great big hole in it somewhere.  The grain spreads from a bump on the back of the bowl and radiates across both sides with graphic definition.  While both sides have excellent straight grain, the front / bottom / and top all are covered with birds eyes.  The straight grain stops directly on the lines that run down both sides to the front.  The front and bottom are a panel. 

  This beautiful briar is from Italy.  I carved a black acrylic stem from rod.  The faux ivory treatment is on the shank to give this an unusual look.  The stain was a blended orange that I buffed off.  I then covered it with a pale yellow. 

  The shape fits the hand and forces you to work your fingers around it to feel all the glass smooth surfaces.

 This one is 5.75 inches long and 2.25 inches tall.  The pipe weighs in at 2.24 oz.

 I have been particularly excited about this piece and decided to name it "Maylene" after the small town that I live in.