A Better Pipe Smoking Community

I used the power of Google for this topic – “Pipe smoking in South Africa” and the result was a complete disappointment. As a novice forty something year old enthusiastic pipe smoker engaged in this age old practice for the past two years, I expected more from the Web – and more from South Africa.

Why? – It was this very internet that fueled the flames of my passion for this gentle art of smoking as coined by Alfred Dunhill in the days when the pipe was as much a companion to a modern man as a cell phone is these days. I was hoping my home country had something more on offer. More about pipe collecting, more fora, more online shopping, more variety for me to savor, more to learn from this seemingly forgotten practice of puffing on the stems of these little beautiful wooden bowls. I wanted pictures of pipe smoking South Africans, piping articles and South African tobacco reviews. Where are the pipe clubs, pipe lounges or coffee shops where pipe smokers hang out? But to no avail. All I found was something about rural African clay pipes, calabash pipes and a few online sellers. I was left with a feeling that perhaps pipe smoking here is as dead as using a cut throat razor and a wooden camel hair brush shaving cream applicator. Of course I ignored all the anti smoking radicals who have tarred all smokers with the same brush on their internet articles. Something I disagree with completely.

My European and American fellow lovers of the briar seem to relish with a large available variety of pipes and literally hundreds of tobacco varieties for sale in their own countries. Why is this so? Why not here in this modern third world country, the most advanced and cosmopolitan African County by far?

The only website that helped me realize that pipe smoking is still somewhat alive in this wonderfully diverse country is Wesley’s. See www.wesleys.co.za. Here you can find a relatively small range of pipes namely; Dunhill, Savinelli, Dunhill, Comoy, Lorenzo, Stanwell Rossi, Keyser and a few other not so well known brands of pipes. This is a lovely website with lots on offer to enthrall any pipe or cigar smoker or tobacco consumer. In my opinion it is one of the more predominant retailers that is keeping pipe smoking alive in SA. I have smoked their house blend tobaccos which sell at my local tobacconist. My favorites are Old Gold, Perique no 58 and Latakia A no 55. I highly recommend their other superb quality tobaccos for any South African struggling to get hold of some good tobacco without buying the usual so called “drug store” weed.

We who blossomed here through our teens in the late seventies, early eighties will remember our South African pipe smoking grandfathers uncles, farmers, hunters and friends. Why? – long before that it was the famous bearded Paul Kruger Boer leader who can be remembered by his big “Oom Paul” full bent shape pipe. This shape is still well known in piping circles world wide. (It is also known as the Hungarian.) Our memories are of the remnants of folk from the sixties when piping was a normal part of life. Who can dispute that the distinct mystical smell of sweet tobacco has left indelible memories of these warm, loving, sometimes philosophical, seemingly wise people, sitting on their “stoep” in an era where life was slower, when people still visited each other on week nights, when children played with neighboring children and with simple toys? These were the days before the anti smoking lobbyists, before scientists arrived at the conclusion that smoking and second hand smoke causes cancer. Yes, these days one must agree, this research does carry some weight, but I am talking about a pass time that does not involve the inhaling of expensive synthetic 4000 chemical laced cigarette tobacco for a quick nicotine fix to ease the woes of modern day stress. I am talking here about the beautifully crafted age old briar or meerschaum pieces of art work which one is supposed to gently “sip” and to savor the taste from a variety of flavors, types and cuts of un adulterated tobacco. Of course, the nicotine does seep into your bloodstream through the mouth, but this is all part of it, as much as good coffee seeps a little harmless caffeine into your brain for that morning lift, and a little red wine at the dinner table enhances the social joy of a meal shared. Experienced folk who have delved in this fine multi faceted hobby will all agree that pipe smoking and cigarette smoking cannot even begin to be compared. It is like trying to compare a Britney Spears hit with the classical works of Mozart.

So what is available for the avid pipe smoker in South Africa besides the well known online (he also has his own shops) seller at Wesley’s? My perception is largely based from my experience in the greater Durban area where I live where there are only five modern day tobacconists and from reading pipe smoking forums. These SA tobacconists seem to focus on selling cigarettes, cigars, hookahs and a million other shiny trinkets. Sadly to say, pipe smoking takes a back seat.

If you are fortunate enough to find a good tobacconist in South Africa you will probably find a small display of the following quality pipe brands on a little section in the shop; Peterson, Savinelli, Lorenso, Stanwell, Big Ben, Dr Plumb, Rossi, Keyser (a renowned pipe once popular among South African farmers back in the good old days) a few reject GBD’s, the lesser BB’s and Angelo. There are also the no name pipes engraved “Real briar, Itallian made”, or “Made in London.” You may be fortunate enough to find an overly priced Dunhill tucked away in the draw of a tobacconist as I discovered at the Zoggys tobacconist at the Pavilion shopping center in Westville, Durban. Of course, there are many cheap “basket” pipes stamped, “made in China” and complete no name almost plastic-like brands that in my opinion have the potential to induce enough “tongue bite” to put off a new enthusiast for life. Lastly, I have seen a few Corn Cob pipes on sale.

I have found that Peterson pipes are very prominent here featuring the largest variety within this brand. It appears that the Irish KP Peterson company have somehow got their sales reps still busy marketing their pipes in this country. Almost every tobacconist will have these stunning pipes with the Peterson pipe chart displayed, featuring the shapes and models with an exposition of how their famous “System” pipes work. I am grateful for this continued prominent Peterson marketing strategy as most of these pipes are of outstanding quality. It is simply because of this prominence and availability that Peterson have become the majority of my twenty one pipe collection. The second most popular brand here is probably the Itallian’s Savinelli which are also outstanding.

A decent basic Peterson or Savinelli with a few wood fills sells for about R900 to R1200. For non smokers this seems ridiculous to pay for a pipe, but it is all relative – you get what you pay for. Of course the prices can sky rocket from R3000 to R8000 for other perfect floor less grained top quality Savinelli or Dunhill pipes. Just visit Wesley’s. For any international readers, divide this by about seven to get the idea in Dollars, by eleven for British Pounds and by ten for Euros.

The line up of tobacco variety compared to the USA and Europe is sadly dismal. The tobacconists cannot be blamed for this for two reasons. Pipes smoking has dramatically declined over the years and according to the tobacconists the “sin” tax and import tax on tobacco is horrendous. What follows are the local “African” brands that you will find here. Among others ; Boxer, BB, Fox, Jock, Assegai, Horseshoe Cotton and one of the all time old South African favorites, Rum and Maple. These are mainly Virgina or Virginia / Burley blends. From a few international outsider reviews I have read the quality is fairly good and some are highly recommended by those who have purchased it online. A 100 gr pack costs about R28. One prominent brand is “Nineteen O’ Four.” This is a very cheap local aromatic in the usual regular, cherry, strawberry, vanilla,