Blog by Steve Laug

When I saw this piece of tobacciana I had to add it to my collection. It is so unique that I have not seen another since I first laid eyes on this one. It is pipe loader. It is made of an outer case with a plunger inside and a scoop-like inner piece that is loaded with tobacco. I think the inventive character that made this envisioned scooping a load into the scoop portion and then inserting it into the part with the plunger. Once it is loaded it is put on top of the pipe bowl and the outer portion is pushed down over the inner scoop and the tobacco is loaded and tamped in the bowl. I have to say it is a bit of a fuss to scoop and plunge but it does work remarkably well and loads a perfect bowl of tobacco. It is made of brass and what looks like several shell casings. I am not sure if it is trench art but I have been told that it appears to be. The two pieces fit together perfectly well and slide easily against each other. It has the patina of aged brass but is otherwise very clean. It is something that sits in my pipe cabinet and is a great conversation piece with other pipemen but it is not something that anyone else is truly interested.

Any ideas from any of the readers? What do you think?