You are currently viewing 373. SPECIAL BULLETIN: Santy’s Christmas Petes On the Way—Iora Classic Range P-Lip, DeLuxe Ebony System, Plateau Revival

373. SPECIAL BULLETIN: Santy’s Christmas Petes On the Way—Iora Classic Range P-Lip, DeLuxe Ebony System, Plateau Revival

I’m sure several PGs noticed the drop of the beautiful P-Lip Classic Range Ioras from Smokingpipes Europe early Monday. Robert Terry, CPG, wrote and asked if there was going to be a US drop, lighting a fire under me to find out. As it turns out, not only will there be Iora Class Range P-Lips, but two other spectacular releases–

Iora P-Lip Classic Range

11/30/2023 @ 3:30pm EST: IORA P-LIP CLASSIC RANGE DROP

Per Andy Wike at Laudisi: “We’ll be putting the Ioras up tomorrow (around 3:30pm). It looks like we have a little over 100 of them spread across a good amount of shapes.” Shape 53

 

Shape 150

 

Shape 268

Notice not only the infinite variety of the incredible Iora contrast stain (which I’m totally nuts about), but the P-Lip and the throwback twin-bead sterling bands on the shapes seen above. I haven’t seen these bands from K&P since about 2015 or so. They used to grace both Classic Range and System Range pipes but haven’t been seen for awhile. I’m hoping we may see more of them to go along with the classic elegance of the “long dress” sterling bands that Laudisi Peterson originated a few years ago.

 

 

12/11/2023 @ 3:30pm EST: 125th ANNIVERSARY DELUXE SYSTEM EBONY

This is the final installment of the trilogy of 125th Anniversary celebration pipes and is the very first time the DeLuxe System has appeared in Ebony. I’m a recent convert to Ebony pipes, as you know if you’ve read recent posts, and am very much hoping a B42 or 9 doesn’t impale my heart with its siren call. My Peterson Pipe Addiction Syndrom (PPAD) is beginning to cause alarm in my family and friends.

 

12/13/2023 @3:30pm EST: PLATEAU REVIVAL

A Plateau Natural from 2009, the last P-Lip vulcanite release.
Note exposed “plateau” edges at both rim and mortise of this amazing army mount.

While I’m really excited by the Ebony DeLuxe and can’t wait to see the Iora Classic Range P-Lips, I have to admit my blood pressure is rising just thinking about the Plateau Revival.

If you don’t know about the Plateau line, drop to the bottom of Post #263, where you can watch Peterson’s own Paddy Larrigan not only make one from button to bowl and back again in front of your eyes, but narrate the entire process. You can also see it and read a bit about it in The Peterson Pipe, a brilliant Christmas present for everyone you know, regardless of whether they smoke a pipe or not!

The Plateau pipes are nearly always House Pipe in size and traditionally sport chamber widths of 22-24 mm and depths of anywhere from 48-58 mm, making them fantastic for English and Balkan lovers and (I’m guessing) quite good for aromatic smokers as well. They’re also K&P’s only freehand line. You’ll never see the same size and shape in a Plateau. Paddy Larrigan’s idea was simplicity itself: with a large block of ebauchon, follow the straight grain lines up the sides and out the shank, leaving the mortise and rim plateau exposed. The Natural seen above is a classic example, although as these pipes are quite individual you’ll sometimes see flames in the grain and sometimes one side of the rim (it could be left, right, front or back) will be higher than the other sides.

While some consider the Plateau outside Peterson’s design language, I argue that anything Paddy created in his long, long tenure with K&P (including the 304, 306, Dunmore line, Briar in a Circle DeLuxe, Plateau and probably Freestyle meerschaum shapes and the 700 shape group of the 1970s and ’80s) is 100% Kapp & Peterson because he and his mother and father worked at K&P, as did two of his sons.

So here’s the unbelievable thing about the Plateau Revival release, per Andy Wike:

“We made around 200 total, spread across Sandblasted (Iora, Rua, Black) and Smooth (Natural, Supreme) finishes. A very small number of the Iora and Rua Plateaus will also feature silver mounts — the rest are unadorned. With the exception of the Black Sandblast (which features a Cumberland-patterned acrylic fishtail stem), all of these will have P-Lip vulcanite bits. The grain on both the sandblasted and smooths is ridiculous. MSRP will range from $200 – $620 depending on the finish.”

This style of Plato didn’t appear for several decades, usually as a more-or-less
straight shank and with the wear-gap P-Lip, a very attractive combination.

The earlier Plateaus with silver mounts eschew plateau grain at the mortise—which means they are “Navy” or traditional tenon/mortise mounts instead of army mounts. This old photo gives you an idea:

My mind boggles at what a Plateau will look like in the Rua, Black and Iora sandblasts—and the Black with a Cumberland-pattern acrylic stem. And a Supreme?? Seriously?

One last word. One more reason the Plateau is so special: it’s the only line to use plateau rather than ebauchon briar. The line was actually called the “Plato” by Paddy. If you can’t figure out why, here’s an educational hint from a bit of Photoshop I did a few years ago:

Thanks to Smokingpipes Europe for photos,
to Andy Wike at Laudisi for vital Pete Geek drop info,
and to Laudisi and K&P for photography samples.
Original banner image from Miley Jade Designs,
redrawn into the Kapp & Peterverse by “Chas. Mundungus”

 

 

 

And—thanks to all who contributed on Giving Tuesday.
You guys overwhelmed me and your support
has taken a huge emotional and financial burden
off the coming year’s blog.
Fumare in pace!

 

 

Yes, he really IS called “Santy” in Ireland. And yes, he DOES depend on
the
sidhe (that’s Irish for “elves”) at the Kapp & Peterson factory
to turn out all these incredible pipes.

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Sébastien Canévet
Sébastien Canévet
10 months ago

Great pipes, alas I’m as poor as a church mouse, after a new purchase today…

Scott Forrest
Scott Forrest
10 months ago

Very excited about the Plateaus. I think I have the brother of the top one you show, but it’s straight.

Bob Cuccaro/TLIP
Bob Cuccaro/TLIP
10 months ago

Okay, where do I send my money now 🙂

John Schantz, CPG
John Schantz, CPG
10 months ago

So sad, out of money?

John M Young
10 months ago

That 53 is a darn little cutie. I posted a restoration blog about a Premier Selection 51 a while back and those shapes just do something for me. Although the Platos look amazing as well. Thanks, Mark

Chuck P, CPG
Chuck P, CPG
10 months ago

Might consider an Iora but we’re getting a little too close to present buying season if you ask me

Scott Forrest
Scott Forrest
10 months ago
Reply to  Chuck P, CPG

Yeah – so buy yourself a present 🙂

Linwood
Linwood
10 months ago

REVIVAL of the FREEHANDS! Paddy will be proud – maybe he has been indirectly directing from above!!! And in time for Christmas gifting!
Heck, wife said NO – you have enough pipes. Maybe she has figured out the “empty place in the pipe rack ruse”. Not that I can’t find a way…..

Erik R
Erik R
10 months ago

OOF decisions decisions. I crushed a bunch of overtime the past few weeks and my pay check doesn’t come til Friday. So I’ll more than likely miss out on the Iora Classics. Too bad because that Shape 53 is gorgeous. However I’ll probably have the funds to go with either an ebony Deluxe or a Plato, but not both! What to do!?

Erik R
Erik R
10 months ago
Reply to  Mark Irwin

You aren’t making it any easier… strategy going forward, skip the Iora, see if any of the ebony Deluxe grab me and if all fails, Plato! Oh and the last part of the strategy, stay off this darn blog! It’s throwing gas on the PPAD fire!!!!

Michael Mikropoulos
Michael Mikropoulos
10 months ago

Oh, what great releases! What an addictive article! And it’s not even Sunday! I’m already waiting for my Iora 999 from SPE and although I’d be crazy for a Plateau unfortunately I don’t think my wallet can handle it. In the last few days I’ve picked up some beautiful B-shaped estates, a Wicklow 501 for my 500 collection and an amazing “Special” 727 which I think are enough to keep my PPAD quiet until Christmas…

Redcoat’s Return
10 months ago

Great new Iora Peterson’s…I’ll wait for the 9mm…if it comes ? Sorry I missed the Tuesday contribution…I’ll do it today ?????

Nevaditude
Nevaditude
10 months ago

I saw them drop Tuesday on SPEurope site, but no 9mm. THAT is where they would be. If you search ‘Peterson 9mm p-lip’ at SPC, there are maybe 10 options, 1/2 are the same pipe type. Not too many use filters here in the new world, it seems. But,… it doesn’t take ‘too long’ for Dublin to ship here, well…here ?… out in desert west. Where you be is, I trust,… MUCH faster. be well…

Richard Roberts
Richard Roberts
10 months ago

I endorse Linwoods view . The love of my life disagrees with my buying any further pipes, (“what do you want ANOTHER smelly old pipe for? There are too many all ready- what are you going to do with them all? And don’t even think that you’re smoking that in here!!!). This notwithstanding, I bought a Plateau ( P-lip, vulcanite stem and good grain,) from Black Swan Shop, but find it to be for those quiet times when a long, slow smoke is preferred. So, here I find myself, rediscovering the reasons that I paid for some of the pipes… Read more »

Scott Forrest
Scott Forrest
10 months ago

There are still three Iora pipes over at SP EU. The blasts, to me, look better than the pipes in the 2022 drop, which I skipped. ‘Naked’ pipes have to have great blasts IMO.

Scott Forrest
Scott Forrest
10 months ago

Well, up to their old shenanigans – had mine bought out of my cart while I was browsing.

Satu
Satu
10 months ago
Reply to  Scott Forrest

Ouch! That’s how I lost the Christmas D21. Not for the first time I wish SP had a short-term “safe” window. Nothing extreme, 5 minutes–long for a brief browse put a couple choices in your cart and decide between them & buy the one you want. If your part times out while your lollygagging, that’s on you.

Scott Forrest
Scott Forrest
10 months ago
Reply to  Satu

You mean like every other internet store on the planet? 🙂
I was adding tins of G&H to my cart and when ready to pay, found the pipe was sold. So they got nada $$$ from me.

J Keatley
J Keatley
10 months ago

Thanks for the heads up Mark. I scanned the Iora lineup for a nice 264, but I couldn’t pass up the grain on a 408. The pick of the litter is on its way with a free tin of C&D Evergreen.

Rob Guttridge
Rob Guttridge
10 months ago

Surprisingly, there were still several nice CP Collection Ioras on the SPC site this afternoon, a full day after their release. I have a birthday this month, and since I don’t really care for the ebony finish or covet a “plato” … I took it as a sign that Santy might forgive me if I succumbed once again to PPAD.

Jon O
Jon O
10 months ago

Thank you for the heads up, Mark! I would have missed the Iora launch without you. I regretted missing their original release and had been looking for one, hoping they’d made a reappearance. I love their natural “squirrel” aesthetic and high quality blast.

Chris Mendoza
Chris Mendoza
9 months ago

It seem the release was early and received the notification about 20 minutes ago….try and jump on smoking pipes before they are gane

KHL
KHL
9 months ago
Reply to  Chris Mendoza

Are they all gone already?!

Jon O
Jon O
9 months ago

On some of the plateau naturals left that I could see by the time I realized they released early, it looks like maybe the wood’s end grain on the plateau ends didn’t get fully sealed before dying and the ends absorbed extra dye color that you can see on the sides.

Robert Sievers
Robert Sievers
8 months ago

I have yet try and Ebony, but I have one in sight for a future purchase. They look gorgeous.