Kapp Bros.

Banner: River Nore, with the Eamon Langton Pub in the background, Kilkenny, June 9, 2009.   Readers of Patrick O’Brian’s Aubreyiad will know what I mean when I say not long ago I wrote to my “particular friend” Clint Stacy CPG that this time of year seems to land us in the existential doldrums where the soul's ship stops dead in the water, sails hanging limp with a spiritual scurvy threatening to desiccate the soul. At such times it’s crucial for survival to look for rescue or improvise some means of refreshment. Hence the banner photo of the River Nore at twilight in Kilkenny, with the Eamon Langton Pub seen up above.  That pub served a good pint back in 2009 and I imagine they still do so. Just looking at it now soothes my soul.  I would also prescribe not one but two of Stephen Maturin’s most excellent boluses, in this case compounded by a viewing of Matthrew Ramsey’s River Collection and Ken Sigel’s Kapp Bros. Carving Shamrocks pipe, neither of most of us (me, anyway) companions.   Matthew Ramsey’s RIVER COLLECTION (2007) "Set of six unique shapes named after rivers of Ireland: the Boyne, Erne, Lee, Liffey, Sur and Corrib. In matt brown contrast and red gloss smooth finishes and orange and black rustic. Sterling band etched with insular Romanesque depiction of tossed wavelets. Fishtail, aluminum P on brown contrast only, others with hot foil impressed P; originally available only in boxed presentation set." –The Peterson Pipe: The Story of Kapp & Peterson Matthew has long been a devotee of the Dublin Era sets, which are now quite impossible to find. Somehow and somewhere he manages to find them, although his searches seem to take months and months. He writes: "This set in particular has required more sleuthing than all the others.  From what I deduced from my search and speaking with Glen the Rivers Collection came in three finishes- red spray, dark brown and a walnut - medium brown.  Within each set were included a mix of aluminum and foil Ps.-- Glen recalled this being the case.   I think the prevailing belief has been that the aluminum P has represented a higher quality briar but I’ve seen this go either way." "Having never handled the set, I was surprised by the weight of the box- the beautiful image is quite thick/heavy."    River Erne. This is one of my favorite Peterson shapes of all time. . . . Someday I'll find one.   River Liffey. Perfect for a stroll down the Liffey's shores in Dublin!   River Sur. Who can resist a bent dublin?   River Boyne.  A No Prize to the first PG who can identify which two shapes in the River Collection were used with almost no modification elsewhere in the Peterson catalog.   River Lee.  Now this one I did find few years back at an Italian site (Mark).  There are at least a dozen shapes which should be permanently in the catalog in my estimation as…