A bigger brother to the Prince shape, the Author features the same flattened ball shape, but is quite a bit larger than its smaller sibling. The Author’s hefty bowl sits at the end of a burly shank that almost always has a 1/8 – 1/4 bend. Its thick walls help keep the bowl from heating up and make for a comfortable hold. Some of them are in production, but you need either a source in the UK, or to be lightning fast to grab before it evaporates. For the discontinued tobacco there are numerous options, which require some combination of time, patience, and money.
All the edges on a Vest Pocket are smoothed considerably to prevent the pipe from snagging the material of your clothing when taking it out or putting it away. You’ll realize how practical a feature that is once you try to stuff a rusticated Poker in the ol’ pocket. Aside from the oval smoking chamber, the stem is surely the most unique element of the Vest Pocket pipe. It can twist 180° so that it does not protrude from the pipe, and when folded, it is indeed a wee little package. Pipes referred to as “paneled” derive their originality not from a specific shape, per se, but from a distinct aesthetic property, namely the flat panels on their bowls. Many pipes can be made with panels, including Billiards, Dublins, Brandys, Acorns, and more.
We challenge you, however, to show us an experienced pipe maker who would dangle an Oom paul or a Volcano off the end of a slender 9” stem. Prince, Dublin, and Cutty-style Churchwardens are much more sensible. Churchwardens have also been called “reading pipes,” since the extended length prevents the bowl from obstructing a reader’s view. The Cavalier is based on the historical Tyrolean pipe, so named for its origin in the Tyrol region (modern day Italy, Austria, and Germany), but the pipe is of German descent. The distinct feature of the Cavalier pipe is that its round shank extends well below the entirety of the bowl, eventually becoming the “foot” of the pipe. The bowl is usually Billiard shaped, if only a bit more rounded, and rests atop the shank like a rose bud on a thin branch.
Notably, it was the very first pipe tobacco to be advertised all across the United States. Originally produced by Larus and Brother’s which continued until 1968 when they sold their tobacco portfolio to Lane Limited. Since then the supply of Edgeworth has dwindled but the praise for the blend has grown for the devotees of pure burley flakes.