Well, actually they are all headed to a new home. Probably for much less than I would have gotten but at least to those who will use them.
Beautiful collection! Contact Skip Elliot at The Briary, in Homewood, AL. Skip has bought estate collections in the past, then cleans them up and reconditions them for resale. I’m not sure if he will buy a collection by pictures, but it won’t hurt to ask. Skip is a nice guy, I’ve known him for 40 years. Here’s the website: http://www.thebriary.com/ Edit: I’m sorry, I responded before I read all the the posts, and saw you have already sold your collection.
I'm just thrilled that such things get a second life. I most likely would have just tossed them away eventually.
Couple days ago, I enjoyed some PS Bulls Eye in the Cristos. This morning under cloudy cold skies, Natural Dutch Cav in the OldVic.
PS Luxury Navy Flake in the Schowa. Had to apply a bit of beeswax since the stem got loose on this pipe. Seems to have fixed it right up.
Finished off a tin of Erinmore Mixture and was digging for another when I spotted an unopened tin of Stanwell Extra Fine. From the freshly opened tin a sweetness for sure, but not dark Cavendish / hard vanilla. More an apple pie flavor. So light it's like someone baked a pie yesterday, but it's still lingering in the kitchen air. The little Jobey pipe will help me stretch it out for many bowls.
I don’t have any pics of late, but I have been enjoying a tin of SG Balkan Flake that I picked up at The Briary a couple of weeks ago. Contrary to what the name implies, there are no oriental tobaccos just some matured Virginia and Cyprian Latakia. It’s not what I would call a lat bomb, but it is a very smooth, creamy, slightly sweet, and smoky medium strength blend that doesn’t knock you over with vitamin N. The flakes are very easy to work with, unlike FVF. In fact, regarding taste, it’s like FVF with just the right amount of very smooth Latakia. I haven’t been into Latakia blends for quite some time, but this is a very nice offering from SG.
Cleaned up the Rossi Prince with Everclear dipped fuzzy sticks and reamed the bowl with the Decatur tool. Gave the Vulcanite stem an olive oil wipe down. Thought it might be nice to try a freshly open tin of Lane 125th Anniversary. A plucky VaPer with a deep note I enjoyed from the first light. Imagine the difference between a hamburger fried in a stainless skillet, and a thick juicy hunk of ground cow flesh slowly grilled over a handful of stick gathered from the yard and lightly basted with a slightly sweet BBQ sauce. Not Latakia smokey, but rich smooth. Good stuff! It's a little dry out of the tin so I'll jar it and work in a little moisture. Nice rough cut, too.
Got a break in the holiday action, so I enjoyed a bit of Anniversary Kake in the T.Cristiano with a cup of Community Between Roast. Hope everyone is finding a moment to relax during the hectic pursuit of happiness.
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From 4 weeks ago, while convalescing following prostate cancer surgery. OGS in a Chacom stack billiard.
This afternoon, a half and half blend of C&D Engine 99 (Latakia blend, fairly robust) and C&D Bayou Morning, bulk vaper in an old Peterson Christmas pipe. The Bayou Morning toned down the Latakia to my liking. The Bayou Morning is quite a good vaper by itself, having had a bowl of that yesterday doing some light yard work. Still not lifting much following surgery.
Cool but sunny day with forecast for a brush with that Polar Vortex in the next couple days. PS Luxury Navy Flake in the Showa's big bowl.