36
TOBACCO BUSINESS
MARCH/APRIL 2014
I
just found the old pipe cabinet
that belonged to my father, Peter
Stokkebye—what a trip down
memory lane it is!
I see a jewel...Turkey, and a beautiful
Joergen Larsen straight-grain, like
the ones he had to hide in his hotel
rooms because otherwise they would be
snapped up too quickly at the RTDA.
There is also the block of unfinished
briarwood—with the stem already
mounted—that he never had the chance
to fashion into a truly homemade pipe.
He loved the funky details, like a bit of
bamboo or a copper ring, to play up his
pipes a bit. I even remember a bright
blue pipe, which somehow never made
it into his cabinet of favorites.
The pipes are all different and all
a reflection of who he was—elegant,
classic and with a bit of whimsy. These
are not the antiques he treasured from
the fabulous tobacco museum his father
started, but everyday objects, well
cared for and meant to be enjoyed and
appreciated.
Of course, one of the strongest
triggers of old memories is smell, and
the scent of his tobaccos still lingers
on these pipes. I can close my eyes and
picture him clear as day relaxing with a
bowlful of his own Navy Flake with just
a hint of Kentucky tobacco, even though
he has been gone for more than 10 years
now.
I also appreciate the love of tobacco
he has passed on to
me, and the great
experiences
we
shared over the years
in this wonderful
world of pipes and
tobaccos. For Peter,
his pipes were almost
as much a part of
his
appearance
as his glasses. My
personal favorite is the classic that he
is brandishing in one of the last official
portraits of him. Maybe one day I’ll
fire up one of his pipes instead of just
reminiscing about Peter smoking them
himself.
Cheers!
A Past of Pipes
A place for pipes is also a cabinet full of memories.
By Erik Stokkebye
