9BC

Revised Thursday, May 4th.

SPECIAL BULLETIN:
Tuesday at 6pm EDT, Smokingpipes.com will release the Deluxe System Revival 9B.
This is an SPC, US-only release. There will be NO SPE, Europe release.

The 2023 Deluxe System Revival 9B is almost here! It’s a beautiful, elegant System utilizing the 2020 POY bowl to give us something old, something new: a new entry in the System shape chart utilizing the old tapered B stem. As you can see, it evokes everything we love about the Patent Deluxe System:

Measurements
Length: 5.75 in. / 146.05 mm.
Weight: 2.35 oz. / 66 g.
Bowl Height: 2.10 in. / 53.5 mm.
Chamber Depth: 1.83 in. / 46.6 mm.
Chamber Diameter: 0.76 in. / 19.30 mm.
Outside Diameter: 1.58 in. / 40.13 mm.
Stem: P-Lip Vulcanite

The word “revival” is meant in at least two senses, maybe more. In the first place, it uses the 2020 POY 9BC bowl. This was itself Laudisi Peterson’s second ‘revival’ POY. It is a gorgeous shape, meticulously designed by Giacomo Penzo, K&P’s pipe specialist to evoke not so much the chubby 9BC that Pete Geeks have long sought on the estate market as the original Charles Peterson shape 9 bowl from 1896, which is a more sinuous, svelte design.

Measurements
Length: 5.48 in. / 139.19 mm.
Weight: 2.20 oz. / 62.37 g.
Bowl Height: 2.07 in. / 52.58 mm.
Chamber Depth: 1.77 in. / 44.96 mm.
Chamber Diameter: 0.77 in. / 19.50 mm.
Outside Diameter: 1.55 in. / 39.5 mm.
Stem: P-Lip Vulcanite

The 9B from the 1906 catalog

The 9B shape from the 1906 catalog features a longer stem that many are familiar with these days.  Lance Dahl wrote me just yesterday with a photo of his own 1926 HM 9B with the 2020 9BC PSB:

And here’s where the second “revival” comes in, I think: it’s a first-time revival of the short BC wear gap-length stem from the Patent era!

The System 9B Revival might have been called the “9BC” revival except for the fact that it would rather confusing for modern pipe smokers considering the recent 2020 POY 9BC and the chubby 9BC of the estate markets.

This use by K&P of the BC-style stem is intentional, I believe, because in negotiation for the PPN 2023 pipe, one of the things I was interested in doing was a “BC” type stem and in the course of conversation I learned that K&P already had such a project under way!*

The 9B from the 1955 catalog

There is no illustration of shape 9 with the B or BC stem in the 1896 catalog and while the B is in the 1955 catalog, as you can see it’s the chubbier version of the 9 bowl that debuted c. 1939 in the Rogers 1939 catalog as Standard System 357. That bowl would subsequently be numbered the XL307, 307 and 9s: a shape that has been in production since that time.

Horizontal rim displaying stem bend on rusticated Revival 9B

Dropped rim displaying clenching shelf on Revival 9B

The stem bend is awesome and historically correct, allowing the front rim of the bowl to dip about 15 degrees. The stem’s proportions seem quite elegant within the total design. I’d chose this version of the shape over the 1896, 1906 or 1955 any day. And I can already speak to the chamber dimensions, since I companion the 2020 POY 9BC: it’s classically proportioned so you can stuff any type of blend in it and come up with a great smoke.

Included in the ephemera is a small silver polishing cloth measuring 3.75″ x 3.75.” I’m glad K&P is including one in their sterling-mounts, as the suede cloth pipe sock (which I love) seems to oxidize the band. I know of a few Pete Geeks who don’t polish their sterling or nickel bands (what would St. Benedict say?), but I’ve used Sunshine Polishing Cloths for many years now, finding bright metal work enhances the pleasure of my smoke. For best results—as a flautist told me years ago—dampen the sterling with saliva prior to polishing.

Revival 9B Sandblast

I like the very gritty blast technique on the standard sandblast. I don’t know if we’ll see this on all of them, but it’s present on two sandblast samples I’ve handled. The feel is great if you like “gnarly.” Ebony and PSB finishes will also be available:

The name is intriguing—Deluxe Revival. Josh Burgess at K&P told me, “I think it’s possible we’ll do something here in the future if the right opportunity presents itself.” Here’s to hoping! MRSP $265.00.

Electronic Strutcard

Many thanks to Josh Burgess and Andy Wike at K&P and Laudisi

*Spoiler alert: Yes, the PPN 2023 pipe will have a BC stem as well!