From: ????????????????

Congratulations, Steve!!

You might consider buying a "Brebbia" brand pipe.  These are Italian jobbies,
and apparently very popular and respected over there.  They're at about the
same quality level as Bari pipes, which is to say very good.  But they've
been widely distributed (at least around here) for only the last year or so,
they don't have a famous name yet, and you could probably find a decent one
in your price rance.

They have some interesting shapes, to me anyway. They tend to alter traditional
contours just enough to add interest without being gaudy.  Their trademark is
a diagonal slash of briar on the stem -- quite nice.

Remember that most manufacturers sell different "quality ranges" of pipes.
They often don't know which range a pipe will be in until it's finished --
the last stroke of sandpaper on a bowl can reveal a damaging flaw.

So the same production line will yield a perfect pipe with fine grain ($200),
one with good grain and a few nicks ($100), and one with one or more filled-in
flaws ($50).  It's clear where the cost-effective end of this curve is.

Pipes that don't turn out well at all are often sold under lesser names.
Ehrlich's in Boston used to have big bins of "Boston Briars" for a
dollar or two.  These were factory seconds of who knows what and were
great deals. I still have a couple.

Anent Martin Lodahl's experience: one great thing about tobacco is that is
just doesn't spoil (outside freaky cases, like mildew).  Old weed can 
almost always be resuscitated by a few hours or days in a humid environment.
I've never tried wakening up the flavor with booze but it sounds great.
Cigars with the puffing end dipped in Remy Martin --- yum!

[Cigar aside -- old cigars get crumbly.  If a cigar in a store makes
crackly noises as you roll it gently between your fingers, don't buy
it.  If one you've already bought does, take it _out_ of the cellophane
and leave it in your humididor for a few days.  It will be fine.]

A big, maduro Partagas sounds like a great present for oneself, too.


						phil

				Phil Gustafson, Graphics/UN*X Consultant
				{uunet,ames!coherent}!aimt!phil ????????????????
				1550 Martin Ave, San Jose, Ca 95126


~\U ~\U ~\U ~\U ~\U ~\U ~\U ~\U ~\U ~\U ~\U ~\U ~\U ~\U ~\U ~\U ~\U ~\U