System Spigot

PSA I'm hoping next Sunday’s post will reveal photos and ordering details of the PPN Pipe of the Year as well as its matching Sterling Armor Zippo. Sherlock Holmes "To the Victor" PPN T Shirts went out Friday, Saturday and the remainder tomorrow.   SAINT PÁDRAIG, CHARLES PETERSON, AND THE SYSTEM SPIGOT PIPE by Gary Hamilton Upon reading the title of this story, I’m sure that you are scratching your head and contemplating what does Saint Pádraig have to do with Charles Peterson, and a System Spigot pipe. Follow along as I make the connection, or at the very least, entertain you with some thought-provoking discussion for the Thinking Man. As a reader of Peterson Pipe Notes, you are most likely an aficionado and collector of Peterson pipes. And like myself, you probably dabble in learning about all things “Ireland.” Especially if it has to do with pipe smoking. No, as best I can tell from the historical literature, Saint Pádraig was not a pipe smoker. But what we do know is that Saint Pádraig, a 5th century Christian missionary, is celebrated on his feast day each 17th day of March. Also known as the patron saint of Ireland, or the “Apostle of Ireland,” Saint Pádraig is most widely recognized for his efforts in bringing Christianity to a pagan Ireland. As with all historical figures, there are usually legends that accompany their mention, and Saint Pádraig is no exception. The two legends that you may be most familiar with concern shamrocks and snakes. We will focus on the shamrocks, and leave the snakes for another time. The image of Saint Pádraig is often depicted in works of stained-glass, or in icon images, holding a cross in one hand and a shamrock in the other. Legend has it that Saint Pádraig used the shamrock to teach the pagan society about Christianity and the Holy Trinity Doctrine. The shamrock, with its three leaves connected to a central stalk, was used by Saint Pádraig as a symbol of the Holy Trinity, representing God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. In botanical terms, the shamrock is known as a trifolium, or trefoile type plant. Somewhat similar in shape, and pre-dating Saint Pádraig’s legendary use of the shamrock, is the shape of the triquetra. In Latin, triquetra is a derivitive of the adjective triquetrus, meaning three- cornered. Many of you may recognize the shape as that of the Trinity knot, which is used to represent the Holy Trinity, much like Saint Pádraig’s use of the shamrock, as legend has it. It seems that an underlying theme of this story line is being connected in multiples of three. But what about Charles Peterson and the System Spigot pipe? Just as Saint Pádraig is acknowledged as the Apostle of Ireland, perhaps we might consider Charles Peterson to be the “Apostle of Irish Pipe Making.” During the Victorian era, the firm of Kapp & Peterson won worldwide acclaim for their patented pipe, a pipe…