The Author Shape

So I can't remember exactly where I saw it, but I think it was in one of Andrew's (senshi) youtube videos. Anyway, he was waving it around talking about something, and I thought to myself hey thats a nifty looking shape you don't seem to see people smoking them very often, but for some reason doesn't seem unfamiliar at all.

The author shaped pipe has a large, wide, ball shaped bowl with a flat bottom. It is usually paired with a fat, squat straight or slightly bent stem. I've read around the webs that the name came from the fact that it is supposedly easy to hang from one side of the mouth and the smoke doesn't creep into the face and eyes causing the smokey, tearing eye syndrome. Not exactly sure if its true but sounded like a nifty back story to the pipe shape.

So I started digging around and I only really found 2 pipe company making this shape. The first is the savanelli. They make this shape in a lot of their lines. It is called the "320" shape. The second is brebbia who calls them the Fat Bob Noce. I believe that they have them in both rusticated and smooth.

Here is the Savinelli Seta Smooth 320:


Here is the Brebbia Fat Bob Noce:


Anyways, so a few question for my B&B BL Brothers and sisters (I have yet to see any BL sisters posting yet, would be cool if we could eventually have a few that enjoyed this hobby, but that is another topic for another day)

1. Do any of you guys own an author shaped pipe? How does it smoke?
2. Do any of you guys have the brebbia or savinelli in these shapes?
3. Does smoke not really get in your eye if you hang it from the side of your mouth?
4. Does anyone else make this shape?
5. What do you think about the shape?

Ready...Set...Discuss!

I was going back and forth between an author shaped Hercules from Savinelli last night...I didn't end up with it, chose a full bent instead since I was really looking for something of a jaw hanger.

My next one will probably be that shape, I like it. Simple, to the point and they look to be very functional. Load, light, enjoy.

So, I have 3 author-shaped pipes--a Sav 320, a largish size 5 Tinsky, and a small S&R. I like the shape. However, I find they're not all created equal in terms of the ability to hang them from your mouth comfortably. The biggest issue I have is that most of these pipes (and they are often called author, banker, or diplomat) is that many of them have become oversized and the stems have gotten very thick. This is an issue with the Sav 320--the stem is so darn thick it's not comfortable to clench. If you look at the picture above and think about where your mouth goes, you'll see what I mean. Definitely the thickest pipe I have in my pipe rack. The Brebbia seems to have the same affliction. Not all treatments of this shape suffer from this problem, though, as my Tinsky and my S&R are quite manageable to clench. And I don't know about the smoke in my eye thing, since I don't really have that problem. If I'm working and bending over my desk reading something, I usually opt for a light billiard--puts the smoke away from my nose and is light enough to not notice it. Also, the Sav 320 (and I suspect the Brebbia too) has a really broad chamber. I haven't measured it, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's an inch (as opposed to 3/4 or 7/8 of most pipe makers). Definitely one of my wider chambers, even when compared to my pots. But it does smoke great.

If you're into estate pipes, you just need to poke around since these shapes are called all kinds of things and many sellers are not great at describing pipes. If you're looking new, there are a few folks making them that I've found:

- Charatan #2651
- Parker #140
- Dunhill - style "128" (as with all current Dunhill numbers, you add your size number to the beginning to get the model number, e.g. 4128, 5128, 6128)

If you're looking for a good author to hang from your gob for long periods at a time, I'd look at one of the three listed above and stay away from the Brebbia or Savinelli--they look cool, but they're a bit awkward in the mouth.

I had one but just sold it on the BST. It's a nice pipe that smokes Latakia blends really well. But I think I'm slowly phasing the dark leaf out of my collection and the pipes that are used for it as well. I believe Aaron had one as well but he sold it, too.

Micah is right in that it's not the best for clinching. Can't recall if smoke in the eyes was a real problem with it but I don't think so. I've seen a Comoy's 256 before and it was a nice take on the author.




I love the Peterson 408 which is their version of the author. I have an Angelo Rovera "author" so to speak and it's probably my favorite pipe. They're not as drastically thick as their Italian counterparts.

I have a Sav 320, it's OK, a bit awkward to smoke.

That Brebbia looks awesome, but I believe Micah is correct about these being not the most comfortable of pipes for those of us who clench. I do, therefore I'm glad to learn this before I got one. Still, they are great lookers.

Since owning my 2013 LE Tinsky and my Tinksy 2013 Christmas Morta, I think any new pipes will also be pokers.

Senshi said:

I had one but just sold it on the BST. It's a nice pipe that smokes Latakia blends really well. But I think I'm slowly phasing the dark leaf out of my collection and the pipes that are used for it as well. I believe Aaron had one as well but he sold it, too.

Micah is right in that it's not the best for clinching. Can't recall if smoke in the eyes was a real problem with it but I don't think so. I've seen a Comoy's 256 before and it was a nice take on the author.

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I love the Peterson 408 which is their version of the author. I have an Angelo Rovera "author" so to speak and it's probably my favorite pipe. They're not as drastically thick as their Italian counterparts.

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Whats with the whole anti-latakia thing lately. This makes me want to send you more lat heavy stuff to try and get you back on the lat train! lolz Don't let Jason persuade you!! We all know he secretly loves latakia!

Argonaut said:

I have a Sav 320, it's OK, a bit awkward to smoke.

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In hind sight, would you buy the 320 or another author in that shape?

oc_in_fw said:

Since owning my 2013 LE Tinsky and my Tinksy 2013 Christmas Morta, I think any new pipes will also be pokers.

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I am the same I think I have 4 pipes with that shape!

Boris, you seem to like really big pipes like your Tim West and others. So I don't think the size of the 320 would be an issue. I loved my 320 (great feel in the hand) but lately I only want to smoke Va/VaPer/VaBur flakes and the 320 doesn't really lend itself to flakes.

Not trying to be a cool guy (because we know Jason and Derrick are not ) but I haven't made it past half of any Latakia heavy blend in the past two months. Been dumping them. I do still enjoy an oriental forward blend with some lat like EMP or Rajah's court.

Senshi said:

Boris, you seem to like really big pipes like your Tim West and others. So I don't think the size of the 320 would be an issue. I loved my 320 (great feel in the hand) but lately I only want to smoke Va/VaPer/VaBur flakes and the 320 doesn't really lend itself to flakes.

Not trying to be a cool guy (because we know Jason and Derrick are not ) but I haven't made it past half of any Latakia heavy blend in the past two months. Been dumping them. I do still enjoy an oriental forward blend with some lat like EMP or Rajah's court.

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I guess the big pipe and big bowl and long smokes thing came from my cigar smoking habits. In my head smoking is correlated to an hour+ smoke session of me reading or watching a sports game, catching up on tv shows or watchin a movie. So I guess the big pipe with big bowls attached itself from that. And long smokes I never clench (I'm not much of a clenched to begin with) because clenching for that long would just make my jaws sore. That being said, I still enjoy long smokes but have started smoking I guess more normal size pipes with smaller bowls too.

I have a Savenelli 320 rusticated and it's probably my favorite out of the 11 (Petersons, Stanwells, Falcon...) pipes I own. I like the big bowl, minimal re-lights and easy draw. The big bowl fits well in the hand. I don't remember the smoke getting in my eye. The pipe is too heavy to clinch for more than a few seconds.

Really like the look of these. The Brebbia posted above looks fantastic.

I briefly considered a rusticated Savinelli 320 when I recently ordered a new pipe for myself, but in the end, a poker won out by a small margin. I see an author somewhere in my future though...

Rossi also makes a 320 shape. I think they're roughly the same price range as the Savinelli.

Check out this great article:

http://passionforpipes.squarespace.com/neills-blog/2013/7/29/in-praise-of-authors.html

-J

Had a Peterson 408, but it was simply too heavy for my liking. Anything larger than a group 3 just doesn't suit me, but I imagine a lot of folks like them. Some Big Ben pipes are sort of a cross between the Author and a Danish shape. Very pleasing to the eye in that respect.

I have a Savinelli 320 that was replaced in the rotation by the 2014LE. The Sav is pretty chunky in the hand but not as well balanced as Mark's work. It's a great shape, definitely not a clencher but decent for gesturing.

Perhaps it would be good shape to consider for next years LE, at least as a starting point.

My hesitation has been somewhat confirmed by some of the responses, I am a clencher, and that was the only thing holding me back. The size is what actually appealed to me since I'm a big guy, smaller pipes look out of place on me. My first pipe is a perfect example, it's a little full bent briar that just doesn't "fit". That and it gurgles...

I think I will still probably pull the trigger on one soon anyway just because...

COHunter said:

My hesitation has been somewhat confirmed by some of the responses, I am a clencher, and that was the only thing holding me back. The size is what actually appealed to me since I'm a big guy, smaller pipes look out of place on me. My first pipe is a perfect example, it's a little full bent briar that just doesn't "fit". That and it gurgles...

I think I will still probably pull the trigger on one soon anyway just because...

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I was thinking the same thing. I saw the savinelli gaius 320, and the stem doesnt look as fat, and was wondering if that would improve clenchability.

Boro62 said:

Whats with the whole anti-latakia thing lately. This makes me want to send you more lat heavy stuff to try and get you back on the lat train! lolz Don't let Jason persuade you!! We all know he secretly loves latakia!


In hind sight, would you buy the 320 or another author in that shape?!

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I don't care much for the Author shape, my wife picked mine out as a Christmas present. I was briefly interested in a hawksbill until I handled one in person. Neither suit me very well, but it had nothing to do with smoke in the eyes or anything along those lines. They don't feel right, they're hard to clench, and they seem as graceful as a sawed off baseball bat handle. Just my opinion of course, like despising Latakia.

I just picked up a Amphora brand pipe in this shape today at a antique store. The bowl was about half full of cake, it must be a decent smoker. And I swear the ash smelt like cherry when I was reaming it.