The Calumet
Pipe smoking began long, long ago in the mid west with pipes smoked on the prairies to seal deals between tribes. Dear knows what was in those pipes! I'll bet it was herbal ;)
And that is also where this pipe came from. It is a traditional hand-carved calumet from Pipestone National Park MN and that's where we bought it four years ago. So it's the oldest pipe in the world in one way but new. It has been smoked but it's mostly display cum souvenir.
The walnut wall rack was made by friend of ours from an old clock base and I just love the way it looks like a walk through a quarry! The stem is wood with leather trim but the bowl is carved from the soft red stone of a sacred quarry where only hand tools are allowed. And here is the man who carved it. It's a dying art unfortunately.
One day (probably not long from now) nobody will smoke pipes any more. Oh I know smoking isn't good for you but I am not going to be politically correct here in this section of my blog. I am going to celebrate the noble art of pipe-smoking
and long live Gandalf!