PSA
HONOR CHARLES PETERSON WITH A MONUMENT
AT OHLSDORF CEMETERY
Thank you to all who made a donation toward placing a monument for Charles Peterson in the Ohlsdorf cemetery where he died, September 10, 1919. His grave remains unmarked. As of Monday evening, we raised $1,179 from 24 donors. Our goal is $17,179 by January 31st, 2027. You can read about this project and get a budget spreadsheet in the last post. You can donate, or donate again, at GoFundMe, which lists all donors and their gifts. If we had just 858 Pete Geeks who donated $20 apiece–less than a tin of tobacco–we’d reach our goal.
SPECIAL BULLETIN:
The 2026 Christmas Pipes
drop at Smokingpipes.com Wednesday, 9/16 @ 6pm EDT
Probably available from 9/15 @ SpEu–not sure.
Only retailers, I’m told, will have shape XL5!
Like PG Trent Clifton, who was asking for this exact pipe two Christmases ago, I am over-the-moon excited about this year’s Christmas commemorative. This is the 17th year of this very special release from K&P, and as I looked back over the the history of the release in Post #437, while there’s some real stand-outs for me, this is it, my absolute-all-time favorite. There’s something about the deep glossy chocolate rustication combined with the copper bands. There’s something about the DeLuxe System shapes. There’s something about the nickel-mount marks that are incorporated on the bands.
There’s something about the fact that yes, Virginia Perique (that’s her full name),* there is a real Santa Claus and he’s had his Irish Aos Sídhe (Ireland’s elves) working all year to make this a reality.**
My all-time favorite iteration of the 20FB.
I’ve got my sights on two shapes, although as I look at the gallery below I’d like to make it at least four. I know this is the only time in Peterson history that this particular version of the DeLuxe System will ever be made and boy, I’d trade almost trade my Red Ryder Carbine-Action Air Rifle for the complete collection.
The Aos Sídhe’s 4s ready to go…
The 8s….
The 12.5–I think…
THE CHRISTMAS 2026 GALLERY WALK
1s
2s
3s
4s
5s
8s
9s
11s
12.5
20FB
When you see the 9s like this, you can readily see one of the great Patent Systems hasn’t changed in its design at all. This type of super-long stemwork… delightful.
With your 5% discount at SPC they’ll run $152. / Sweet /
Many thanks to
Glen Whelan @ Peterson for providing factory photos,
to Laudisi and Smokingpipes.com
for retailer & social media assets & three sample-inspection pipes.
Inellectual property of Kapp & Peterson
reproduced by their kind permission.
Thanks to Trent Clifton for being my social media agent.
Thanks to Alan Britt for being my PPAD Hookup.
* Yes, there really was a Miss Virginia Perique. Here she is, decked in her finest tobacco leaves:
** The Aos Sídhe have much more in common with Tolkien’s legendarium than with childhood memories of the North Pole. Like Tolkien’s own Elves, the Irish are also exquisite craftsmen:
CATCH & RELEASE
Doctor of Pipes Linwood Hines CPG has a beautiful POY 2026 CAD that needs a home. I think it’s the Sandblast Supreme, but you can ask him at lshines3@verizon.net :
Maybe there’s something wrong with my taste in pipes, but I’ve never really liked the DeLuxe Systems. There’s just something aesthetically off-putting about that gap. To my eye, it interrupts the whole shape and flow of the pipe.
I love the copper rings, the chocolate colour, and even the “new” Peterson rustication, but no matter how hard I try, I just can’t make myself like that DeLuxe System gap.
But hey, there’s an upside: it probably means the Halloween series won’t be DeLuxes. 🎃
Hi Chanupa, I get it. Even though they’ve been around since 1890, DeLuxe Systems have never been everyone’s cuppa. For those that grew up with System pipes, of course, they’re part of the Awesome Magic–we all anxiously hoped that someday our “gap” would shorten! It never did, but we hoped, anyway. And in the meantime, we still had the roughest, toughest army mount pipes ever made.
You can easily remove the gap. But as a machinist the reason it’s there makes too much sense and a deluxe will last much longer because of it. Things are no longer built to last,
I can’t argue with that. There’s a reason for the design, of course, and it lasts a lifetime. It’s certainly functional, but not everything that’s functional is aesthetically appealing. When it comes to pipe smoking, aesthetics and artistry are at least as important to me as functionality.
I know there’s history behind it and that the gap serves a purpose, allowing the pipe to be used indefinitely without ever having to replace the stem – making it, as they say, the “sturdiest army mount ever.” But ordinary army mounts can achieve the same thing, which is why I’ve never quite understood the DeLuxe System. I also grew up with Petersons and System pipes; I’m 40 now and have been smoking a pipe since I was 14, and I felt much the same way about them even as a kid. For me, it simply comes down to aesthetics,… Read more »
I’m happy with the gap, but I would have been happy with a Premier also. But they didn’t give us that option this year, so I’ll take the Deluxe! 🙂
Hopefully the Halloween is not a Deluxe, because then I won’t have to buy one. 😉
Oh yeah, a Premier System would have been awesome!
Beautiful. I love Chrismas Gift´s like these.
Attention. X-Mas Pipe Dropped Just right now in the EU.
And notice THEY have the XL5!! not available here in the US through SPC…. Just sayin’…
FYI, I see the XL5s on SPC here now that it’s been released.
Btw. There some very beautiful B42 !!!
Eh, more rusticated firewood.
Very easy to pass up for me.
I am glad that some people like them, it is keeping Peterson in business, which is a win.👍🏻
I was hoping they’d have a few finishes available, like they did with the 2024 pipe. But I do like the Peterson rustication myself. Would choose smooth if it was available though.
I still thing Smokingpipes/Laudisi should craft a commemorative pipe and/or tobacco to help raise funds. Even if they slapped on a flat donation amount above cost I’d support that for the commemorative pipe so marked.
Robert, that very well may be possible. They’ll come up with a plan that will benefit everyone, I know, whether its through signal-boosting, direct contributions, or making a commemorative.
It sure would be nice to have a 1S, 4S, 9S, 12.5S and 20Fb but I need to save some pipe funds for the upcoming Halloween Pipe release on October 7th so a 4S it will be. I also agree this is the best Christmas release pipe ever.
I narrowed it down too 4 pipes, I have a problem.
Great article! Looking for my first ever Peterson’s is hard to do. Do I go with a regular line, pipe of the year, or Christmas Pipe?
Jonathan, my suggestion would be to go with a Christmas, because you can get a beautiful DeLuxe at a really great price and have the iconic Peterson. As for shapes, you can’t go wrong with the 4s, which is “The Thinking Man’s” shape. If you prefer smaller shapes, go for the 8s. These both have versatile chambers which will allow you to smoke whatever types of tobaccos you enjoy now and in the future.
What is the secret to obtaining a 5% discount at SP?
Hi Mike, it’s not really a secret. I don’t know the $ amount, but once you reach whatever that threshold is (annually), then the 5% kicks in.
I think it’s either $1000 or maybe $1500 per year spent at SPC.com
I got it after making my first order, which was $266 in 2022. Threshold may have gone up since then, though.
I already got my 1s coming from EU. In Canada for some reason lately (imagine that) USA orders are majorly delayed. I have been getting orders from Denmark a week faster than from spc.com too. My best smoking Peterson is a 01 and I have a small collection of 01/301 pipes. My favorite Xmas pipe is from 2016 with the green stem and smooth red stummel. I think I will like this one even more… as Lo g as it smokes well!
Huge Success I think. Only two Pipes remaining right now.
The final countdown is on. Thanks for sharing all the info and great pictures. Warming up my clicker for a chance at the one I want.
I got my 5s coming from SPC, my first Deluxe System pipe.
Any word on the Halloween Pipes
Halloween Pipe release date is October 7th but have no idea what they are going to look like.
I got a 4s. I don’t have a ton of Christmas pipes, but of the four releases I own, this one is FAR AND AWAY my favorite. A copper mounted Deluxe? Yes please!
I am a novice Peterson smoker, but am rapidly becoming a big fan. First Peterson was a System Standard XL315 in the Heritage stain. Love it so far. I have just ordered this Christmas Deluxe in the 3s shape, and I am anticipating many English blends will be enjoyed with it. Thank you for this blog and for sharing your vast love for all things K&P. You have made a convert out of me!
You’re quite welcome!
I didn’t manage to get any and I’m still waiting. I see that they do not update stocks either in Europe or America. Does anyone know if they will have existence again or was it limited?
Fernando, it is limited; however, you will find some on eBay offered through various dealers. Local tobacco shops and online retailers are also carrying them.