The Chicago Pipe Show will be held May 1st – 4th. On Friday May 2nd, Glen Whelan, Managing Direction at Peterson, will join the Pete Geeks and Pipe Smokers of Ireland for a “Pete Geek Meet” from 12 to 2 in the secondary SMOKING tent.
At 2pm I’ll be presenting “‘A Perfect Pipe’: Peterson’s 1906 Catalog” to coincide with the book launch of the catalog’s restoration. The new book will be available at the show and I’m hoping through Smokingpipes.com as well.
Because this is such an important year for Peterson, I encourage you to think about attending the show, and especially if you collect or companion Patent and IFS-vintage Petes, as they’ll be one focus of the Pete Geek Meet. Another focus will be found by reference to the following newspaper clipping:
This is the 160th anniversary of Kapp & Peterson—dating back to George and Frederick Kapp’s shops in London’s Soho district. Have you ever wondered how 1865 was determined as the founding date? Back in the 1990s the CEO of Peterson, Tom Palmer, engaged a Dublin journalist to write a history of the company. That man indicated to Tom that 1865 was the oldest reference to be found. Unfortunately he died and his notes apparently went with him. When we were doing our own research, your very own blogger found the date in the Clerkenwell News, a London newspaper.
So you see, you owe it to yourself to be at the Chicago Show for this wonderful occasion. I don’t know if Glen is bringing a green birthday cake with 160 candles or not, but we’ll figure something out!
THE 2025 ST. PATRICK’S DAY PIPES
This morning, to get things started, is about the imminent first release of 2025, the St. Patrick’s Day pipes. Per Andy Wike at SPC, “we’re planning on launching them Tuesday, January 28th at 6:00pm Eastern Time.” He’s also sent us product photos of all the shapes and finishes, which form an extensive gallery below and will give you a chance to explore, appreciate, appraise and evaluate just in case you need to add one or more to your rotation. Josh Burgess at Smokingpipes recently told me that in addition to the regular St. Patrick’s Day, Carroll of Carrollton, Halloween, Pipe of the Year and Christmas releases, Peterson has two new System shapes coming up as well as some revivals and special issues. I think I heard someone say all the CPGs will be given a gift bag with one of every pipe in Natural if they attend the show . . . but maybe I dreamed that.
I asked Glen Whelan, Managing Director at K&P, if he would share with us a bit about the release. “This is a really extraordinary year for Peterson,” Glen said, “and keeping the St. Patrick’s Day release in a very traditional Peterson aesthetic was really important to us. Using vulcanite P-Lip stems and sterling silver bands could not have gotten us any more traditional. I do have to pay compliments to the design team for their work on the silver band—to come up with a Shamrock design that looks unique is basically impossible. It was an absolutely ingenious idea to incorporate the Celtic knots and Shamrock together to achieve a design that is completely unique!”
I couldn’t agree more with Glen. This is also the first new silver stamp we’ve seen in a long time, and it just couldn’t be any more elegant.
Now, as to that P-Lip vulcanite stem with its inlaid aluminum P. Do you realize this is the first Classics Range SPD P-Lip pipe in twenty-five years (if you don’t believe me, take a look at Post #84) as well as Jason Canady’s complete collection in Post #389)? This is worth remarking, especially if you haven’t smoked a Peterson P-Lip Classic Range pipe. While I do have some great F/T Petes, the P-Lip Classic Range pipes always smoke dry. When you compare them to another pipe-maker’s fishtails, they’ll almost always come out ahead. Only the DeLuxe Classics and Sherlock Holmes ranges exclusively feature the P-Lip at present (although as Trent comments below, the Aran and Emerald sometimes do so!) this is a great opportunity to enjoy a fantastic smoke in a commemorative line.
Since these had to be in production in time for us here at the end of January,
the sterling is hallmarked “N” for 2024–something that the Assay Office at Dublin Castle seems unwilling
to help us with! Those lads can be unreasonable sometimes.
I’d love to see this sterling stamp on a System someday.
(Pardon the dust on the stem–low humidity here today has caused a lot of static electricity.)
I would tell you which are my favorites, but lately every time I do this, when I get to the drop party and SPC’s internet is finally working they’re all gone! What’s up with that, guys?
53
69
86
87
103
221
304
338
406
701
999
3085
B10
X105
XL02
XL11
MANY THANKS
to Glen Whelan, Josh Burgess, Andy Wikes and Kaz Walters for assistance, interviews, product photos, samples to photograph et., all of which are courtesy of Smokingpipes.com
Last week Denton Grandy at Mac Baren wrote with this following delightful bit of information:
Thank you for the kind words, Mark. Something you surely don’t know: Mac Baren is/was the only pipe tobacco producer in the world employing a dedicated “pipe tobacco sensory” panel. Made up of about 12-15 people that would come in two times a month, testing and approving new blends and/or blend changes. We have had this for over 20 years now and they are on our paid staff. And guess what? They all smoke Peterson pipes! That was a suprise to me, me thinking they would more or less lean into Danish pipes. But there they were, smoking Petersons!
Peterson Pipe Notes will return
in two weeks!
Wow, what a great range of shapes and features. Love the return of the silver inlaid P stem logo! Folks on PipesMagazine.com were wondering about the release date, I shared this post
Nice read and pictures. Great Sunday read Thank You.
I made the mistake of “just” looking at the selection was left last night and now have a 230 on it’s way to Colorado. 😉
I thought I was replying to my own post and accidentally put it on yours. We need to introduce ourselves sometime. Not a lot of Martins out there. 😉
I might be misunderstanding what you’re saying, but there are currently P-Lips available in the Aran and Emerald lines.
I’m going to have to pass on the SPD so I can save for the new Systems and Revivals.
Thanks, Trent. I had totally forgotten about the Aran and Emerald P-Lips. I revised the text. 🙂
Which shape is that in the St. Patrick cover pic? It looks like the 9BC. Is it the 221?
Yep, it’s the 221.
That is right about the Panel at MacBare, I am one of the members.
Great silver work! Love how some of the new shapes have made it into the bunch. Paneled 3085 is a great pipe to add to the lot
Now that’s a selection to choose from.
I’v been looking all week long trying to choose my Tuesday selections.
Good info. and pictures.
Thanks for the plug for the Chicago Pipe Show, Mark! We have a new special events smoking tent adjacent to the main tent this year. That is where the meetup will be held on Friday from noon to 2 pm. Mark’s seminar starts at 2, so you can head directly from the Peterson meetup to his presentation inside the hotel. Both Glen and Mark plan to be there. I hope to see lots of proud CPGs there.
As for the 2025 SPD pipes, they look like winners to me!
And Craig, thank YOU for looking out for us and for me as well. You’re the best.
Hey Mark, I really enjoyed the post this morning with the introduction of the 2025 SPD pipes, really grand looking this year, very classy indeed. What stands out this year though is the Celtic Shamrock Knot stamp, truly wheeker it is, so. Outstanding job to the folks at Peterson for this offering.
Spoken like the true Irish. But wait–me thought you’d be Scot.
Aye, just a wee bit of craic! with the Irish slang.
Thank you, Mark. I have to admit when you dream, you dream big – a gift bag that large would be a burden to lug around a show but one I’m sure we CPGs would be willing to bare. That B10 with the blast is lovely. The 999 is always a beauty and the poor 230 was neglected but with the great range of finishes of the 221s I suppose all is well.
That note from Denton Grandy is fantastic!
Yes, I hope we can find out more about Mac Baren’s panel of Pete smokers. Stay tuned!
I’m wondering if I missed it in the section where you talked about this year’s releases – are Peterson planning a 160th anniversary pipe? I recall they did 140th and 150th anniversary pipes in the past.
A lot of great info in this post, thanks!
TY, I would imagine so, although they’ve not told me directly. I know they’re planning something special, and it’s probably not a t-shirt. 🙂 Remember the 140th and 150th were both pipes and you can do the math. Whether the 160th if it be a pipe is also the POY, as was the 150th, we’ll have to wait an see. Probably for most of the year, if it’s the POY, which I do know is not scheduled to appear until late fall.
Thank you Mark for visualizing so many of this year’s choices. The gorgeous silver shamrock stamp challenges me to participate in this drop. I’ll probably end up with a 128 or 129, which are two shapes that are currently absent from my collection. I just wish they will be among the available shapes in Europe.
Wow! Finally SPD pipes that don’t have green in them. A smooth 128 or 221 in the light Chestnut finish would be up my alley. Alas, having just made two eBay purchases and the exorbitant cost (CAD) that the SPD will demand just puts them out of range for me.
Great post Mark! A truly WONDERFUL selection of pipes for SPD. 👍🏼 It seems the 304 shown is this years only system being offered. Do you know if it is only in rusticated or are the smooth & sandblast finishes possible? There are a some VERY intriguing possibilities in this list shown. Thanks, be well.
I like the 124, 127, 128, 129, and of course, the 999 is amazing! 👍🏼BUT I think if I chose only one it may be the 608. I have been on a 301 binge lately and this 608 pot sort of strikes me in the same manner 🤔
Nice post Mark, the SPD pipes look sweet! ☘️ Can you tell us any more about the 1906 catalog restoration? I have two of the old Levin photostat copies and am thrilled to hear a quality reproduction may be on the way. 😃
Yes, it’s a complete digital restoration using 3 source catalogs and will contain an introductory essay, enlarged versions of the glass negative photos by Thomas Mason and preserve the 1:1 scale of the original photogravures. I’m really excited to see it happen.
I can’t wait to get one, and to delete all the 1906 page images I’ve saved over the years. Your 1896 restoration has given me hours of pleasure, and when it wears out…I have a back-up copy ready 🙂
I’d say Kapp & Peterson has upheld their high standards with this year’s pipes. Understated elegance with the silver band and inlaid steam logo. Really like the clover. Kapp & Peterson demonstrates current pipe artistry while staying loyal to their heritage.
Only complaint – my beloved 03 shape is only offered in the rusticated finish. I have no issue with the rusticated finish but always like to add a smooth to the SPD collection. I’ll survive – it’s down to a 999 or an XL11 smooth to accompany the 03!
To be completely honest, I have mixed feelings about this year’s line. On one hand the silver band and the bent P-Lips have me over the moon; on the other hand, after ten years of greens and oranges, I was hoping for a flash of color. Though they are clearly very well made….
Also, new shapes and revivals? I may be very late to the game on this one, but thanks to last year’s PPN pipe, I’ve become a fan of the 309 and hope to see it return!
I guess we’ll dub this year the classic line year. Anybody notice they slipped the 605 shape in? That’s a first shape for this line. Interesting. I wonder of the heritage finish has a clear coat or is that just wax? All the heritage finishes in the photos are really shiny. It would be great if they had a clear coat like the red Killarney finish. The heritage without a shine can look quite dull. My copper spigot Christmas pipe is like that.. a heritage without much shine. In my opinion a shine would make the heritage really pop like… Read more »
The two heritage pipes I have, had the stain come off on my hand. I had to use alcohol and wipe down my Christmas pipe is was so bad. The other, came off slightly, I didn’t wipe it down with alcohol, just a rag. I waxed both on my buffer afterwards. Also, when I removed the bowl coating in the Christmas pipe with warm water, a bunch of stain from inside the bowl came with it. I was surprised to see such heavy stain deposited in the bowl, back to their old ways I guess. The other had stain under… Read more »
Classy pipes for sure but I kind of miss the green. I always see SPD and Halloween as an opportunity for Peterson to get away from the norm and do something different. These are nice looking but kind of boring. I’m going to hold off this time around and see what year 160 has in store.
Those 150’s look good and the new 3085 shape even caught my wife’s eye. Might just have to order two SPD pipes this year. Might have to look a little closer at my schedule and see if I can make it to Chicago this year also. Slainte!
Always love to see the new stuff coming out, but there are too many pretty ones in that batch. Nothing like adding a shiny stamped clover to get you too. Enjoy the details and info as always from everyone. One of these days I will remember some of this too.
I love all the shapes, styles and finishes that are offered.
I´m a little bit disappointed looking throw the pipes right now, there definite too little smooth ones.
Purchased a very nice 53 at least, very awesome silver work indeed.
I was out for a smooth terracotta 53…unless there was a natural? I got neither. The drop happened when I was still at work. It sucks to be in Mountain Time Zone….we get no respect, I tell ya, no respect or consideration. Why not drop at say, 9:00-10:00PM? I know, the late shift gets screwed then, but I think 8-5 is still mostly “normal” working hours.
John, there’s a 53 smooth available right now on the SP EU site.
Thanks for the heads up Jon. I did see it on today’s update. Also forwarded from Mark👍🏻
No problem, John!
I couldn’t help myself. I had already given up and ordered a 127 smooth from SPC.US, now I have the 53 ordered from SPC.EU as well. PPAD on full bore, wide open. I’m hoping for a nice tax return🙏🏻. I didn’t really need two, but it’s a done deal.
Oops, got my shape number incorrect, it is a 124, not a 127. I got the right pipe, just botched the number🙂
With the help of Marks info. on the SPD’s I was ready for Tuesdays drop.
Picked up 4 SPD’s one in each finish.
Picked out a 221 Smooth, 85 Heritage, 69 Sandblast and 268 Rusticated.
Still looking for 3 SPD pipes to finish my collection.
That’s impressive. I forgot about the drop, so I saved two pipe’s worth of cash :). By the time I checked, the smooths in the shapes I was interested in, were all gone.
I love the Sterling with the Celtic Clover👍🏻
Hi John, Yes indeed the new style Celtic Clover is very awesome. By the way I´m a big
Fan of the shape 53 because of You. I own a handful now and there all awesome smokers.
It’s hard to beat the classics👍🏻. I have quite a few 53’s myself😬, Lovat’s in general, along with its cousin, the Liverpool, and uncle’s, the Canadian & Lumberman, and pappy, the Billiard🙂.
Who am I kidding, I have lots of shapes, but I still keep coming back to average size Lovat’s, be they with a billiard bowl, or Dublin bowl, or sometimes pokers.
Sounds like most got something they are happy with. 🙂
I was tempted by the Lovat, but decided to end up with a 999 Sandblasted. I have a smooth one that is an older gorgeous estate with PHENOMENAL grain. I wanted one that was more every day smoker. This one will be broken on March 17th, with an Irish type of tobacco to be determined.
If any one has a suggestion worthy of Patrick of Ireland, I ask you to please share it. 👍🏽