Elections 06 - Choosing the FdP Pipe

For those who weren't aware, I am doing a pipe for the French "Fumeurs de Pipe" pipe club this year. I agreed to do this way back in October of 2005, but other projects kept interfering and I've been unable to get started on it until now. I had always intended to make several potential pipes, and let the FdP guys vote on their favorite shape among the candidates. Unfortunately, the growing troubles with the sandblaster delayed things further. But, I finally got the last two sample pipes finished, and for those who are curious, the full page listing the candidate pipes and their photos and descriptions is now online here. Also note that all of these "model" pipes are each for sale! Prices are listed after each description, though as I write this, the pre-smoked Pipe #2 has already been spoken for. I suppose I should actually add #3 and #4 to the Ligne Bretagne catalog proper, as they are brand-new unsmoked stamped pipes, but I'm too lazy for now. This way the FdP guys (and blog readers) can have first chance at them if anyone wants one.

I finished writing the page up and posted it late last night, around midnight. The last work still to be done is to translate the individual descriptions into French, but a lot of that is beyond my language abilities so I'm hoping some enlightened linguist from FdP will help out :)

It's been a fun project so far, and I hope it continues to be. But it can be a frustrating challenge trying to come up with a pipe that will have broad appeal AND can be affordably made on a budget that will make everyone happy (or at least equally unhappy...). This pretty much guaranteed that the pipe would be a Ligne Bretagne of some sort, though I may make a very few Talbert Briar versions of the preferred shape if anyone is so inclined (A fully handmade TB version of Pipe #1, on a larger scale and with thicker walls, would be a nice piece indeed for those with the budget).

I made no secret of my favorite of the bunch - It is the one pictured above. A couple of the others are more graceful, but also more fragile, and this one would make some terrific sandblasts... especially considering that the pipe in questions sells for the equivalent of $157 over here! Alas, it is currently dead last in the voting, LOL...

I am going to let the vote run for at least two or three weeks before declaring a winner, to allow as many of the club members (many of whom are going, or returning from, holiday) to vote. If you are a member of FdP, please go vote!

If you are not in FdP, Please do not vote, even if you are tempted - This is for club members only.

Though, I should add that if Pipe #4 doesn't get chosen, there may be a few of those made as regular production LBs anyway...........