464. SPECIAL BULLETIN: The 2025 Carroll of Carrollton Drops Tuesday, June 24th.
The DROP. Per Andy Wike at Laudisi: “We’ll put all of them up at Smokingpipes on Tuesday, June 24 at 6:00pm ET. "Due to their rarity, we didn’t advertise the Natural finish as part of our wholesale marketing push, but Smokingpipes will have a few of those available at launch." This is the 5th year of K&P’s Independence Day celebratory Carroll of Carrollton demi-churchwarden commemorative.* As in previous editions, the serialized pipes match the number of years since the Declaration of Independence in 1776: 249 for 2025. This year’s pipe features what seems to be a slightly shortened 3085 Irish Free State panel, one of two panels reintroduced just over a year ago (see PPN#402). If you have a definitive answer, let me know as I was unable to puzzle this one out. Certainly P. G. Wodehouse’s comic mastermind Psmith could have smoked a Peterson Panel. Seen above, an engraving from what is Wodehouse's first comic masterpiece, Psmith in the City (1910). In the meantime, the elegance of the 3085 is such that I could see P. G. Wodehouse’s Psmith smoking one while at Sedleigh with his friend Mike. The chamber measures approximately 16mm wide by 23mm deep and is perfect for a shorter smoke. If you have smoked the 3085, the 411, or any of K&P’s vintage panels, do let everyone know in the comments what your experience has been—I, especially, am keen to know as I haven’t smoked a pipe with a chamber this small since my high school days, and maybe it’s time I did! 3085 Natural You can read more about the IFS panels at PPN#251. Clint Stacey CPG, recently acquired a very rare find: a first issue Belgique with its box, bag, and brochure, c. 1945-55. It's too lovely to ignore. Notice the vulcanite ferrule, which K&P used for about 15 years. A New Tweed Pipe Stand. This great new tweed pipe stand was pointed out to me a few weeks ago now by a fellow PG (was it you, Chas? I disremember). Available through SPC, it's smaller than the all-leather Peterson pipe stands, but a new favorite with me for my smaller Petes. Seen below is a 313 Spigot Rua System. I especially love the Peterson logo stamped within. * See PPN#234, PPN#348, PPN#405 for some of the previous entries. Many thanks to Andy Wike @ SPC for select media materials.