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Post by Nevadablue on Nov 12, 2017 22:58:38 GMT -5
After a forum member asked about 'who's pipe would you like to have', I answered "one like Lee Van Clleef smoked" in the spaghetti westerns. Research shows that we probably won't know exactly what pipe it was. I found guesses and speculation only. I am betting on one of two options: 1. A WDC Claremont 2. Some pieced together pipe Speculation is that the pipe was a WDC Wellington. But, the bowl of a Wellington looks too shallow. The Claremont looks to be a very close match to the one in the pic of Van Cleef in the movie. Net photos: The pic from the movie.  And, a closeup clipped from that pic.  The bowl seems to be too deep for a Wellington. But look at a WDC Claremont.  And another, bottom pipe in the pic.  The middle one in that pic is a Wellington by the way. I have this pipe (a Comoy's second a Mansion House) and my lady is threatening harm if I buy any more pipes. I can't find a Claremont, so I think I will modify this pipe into a replica of what I see in the movie pic.  |
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Post by herbinedave on Nov 12, 2017 23:04:43 GMT -5
Correct me if I am wrong, but I am under the impression it is a meerschaum.
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Post by Nevadablue on Nov 12, 2017 23:56:14 GMT -5
There are pictures of Van Cleef smoking a meerschaum, but I am sure the one shown above is a briar. Well, as sure as I can be from what I have read and what I see in the picture. Just found this pic.  |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 13, 2017 0:01:23 GMT -5
This is a great question as I've always suspected Lee Van Cleef's pipe was in fact a WDC Wellington. On the road this evening but I have a WDC Wellington in the work barn and will put up a pic when I get home this week.
I'm not sure whether intended or not but mine accepts a 6mm Grabow filter perfectly. It was a real work horse when still in the rotation some years ago.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 13, 2017 16:58:29 GMT -5
He was a regular pipe smoker, not just on screen. His next door neighbor, on another forum, has reported in the past that he had a bevy of pipes, including Peterson.
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Post by trailboss on Nov 13, 2017 17:11:58 GMT -5
i have a Stanwell ("made in Italy") that looks pretty close to that pipe... (mine has more of an OO-Paulish bottom though, and not a smooth)Now I need to stick my face on the grinding wheel to get the hatchet face that lee Van Cleef had.   |
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Post by Nevadablue on Dec 7, 2017 22:18:30 GMT -5
I managed to snag this apparently unsmoked WDC Wellington stummel. The nickel band is loose so I can properly glue it in place during this build.  The stems I ordered came yesterday. They were supposed to be vulcanite, but they are apparently acrylic. I made a delrin mortise insert for the shank of the Wellington, to fit the stem to the shank.  The stem in the pictures of Van Cleef smoking the pipe is quite long from the wide part to the shank of the pipe, so I will leave this delrin mortise insert about a quarter inch proud of the top of the nickel band on the shank. I will also be using a nickel plated band as a reinforcing insert, between the briar of the shank and the delrin insert.   I discovered that the stem is probably acrylic while shaping it in the lathe. After fitting the stem to the delrin insert, I chucked it in the lathe and started working the shape down to match the diameter of the delrin. The powder on the file is white, it would be black if the stem were vulcanite. No biggie.  I still have to sand a bit more inside the shank, to allow the nickel insert band to seat fully. Then I can glue it and the delrin mortise insert in place. I plan to rough up the inside and outside of the nickel insert and cut locking slots in the delrin to allow the glue to lock it in place. I will also glue the original band on the outside of the shank that time. Then, on to buffing the stem. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 7, 2017 22:45:27 GMT -5
Nevada, do you need some spray varnish?
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Post by Nevadablue on Dec 7, 2017 23:07:51 GMT -5
 No, I use hairspray instead.
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Post by Ronv69 on Dec 9, 2017 1:19:02 GMT -5
I just got one of these on eBay for $30 that looks like it is good shape. We shall see. I saw that it has a P-lip. Is that normal for these pipes?
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Post by Nevadablue on Dec 9, 2017 11:02:53 GMT -5
I think so. I don't have any p-lip stems and couldn't find one for this project so I used a normal stem.
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Post by mgtarheel on Dec 11, 2017 15:19:40 GMT -5
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Post by That Falls Guy on Dec 11, 2017 16:27:18 GMT -5
This is an unsmoked Whitehall Chesterfield which I planned to put up for sale on the Bay. Looks a lot lot the Van Cleef pipe, as many others do. If any of you think that you may be interested, just let me know. I could place it up for sale here instead. No obligation expected on anyone's part, just would rather offer it to Patch members first if it attracts anyone's attention.  |
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Post by trailboss on Dec 11, 2017 17:20:10 GMT -5
For a few dollars more, I will tell you. |
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Post by Ronv69 on Dec 11, 2017 19:35:54 GMT -5
I got the Wellington I bought on a whim from eBay. This sucker is HUGE! It is my biggest bowl, bigger than the giant Radice and the Becker Morta. The bowl is 51mm deep and 24mm wide. The whole pipe is 9 3/4"long. It also has never been smoked. I suspect that won't change. Are they all that big? It looks much bigger than the one in the picture. It is also more "bulbous" in shape.
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Post by Nevadablue on Dec 11, 2017 21:16:33 GMT -5
There are at least 3 sizes of Wellingtons.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 12, 2017 8:00:20 GMT -5
I think so. I don't have any p-lip stems and couldn't find one for this project so I used a normal stem. I saw this thread on the road and forgot all about it when I returned home. I wish that were an excuse but I can forget stuff here at home just fine as well these days. My Wellington looks a little rough. The bowl has a Zippo patina but the original stem is still in good condition and just needs to be cleaned up. Pipe is approximately 6 1/4" from tip to heel. The stem would probably work in your stummel. I don't remember paying much for it and haven't smoked it in years. I'll be happy to donate it to the cause if you want to shoot me a PM. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 12, 2017 10:44:34 GMT -5
Yes, he did.  |
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Post by Ronv69 on Dec 12, 2017 13:06:53 GMT -5
There are at least 3 sizes of Wellingtons. I found a listing on SP for a WDC Wellington "Giant". Mine is about 10% larger in all measurements. |
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Post by Ronv69 on Dec 12, 2017 13:17:56 GMT -5
I found the original manufacturers sheet. It is a "Jumbo", sold as a collector's item, for $7.50 new.
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Post by Nevadablue on Dec 12, 2017 20:25:55 GMT -5
I think so. I don't have any p-lip stems and couldn't find one for this project so I used a normal stem. I saw this thread on the road and forgot all about it when I returned home. I wish that were an excuse but I can forget stuff here at home just fine as well these days. My Wellington looks a little rough. The bowl has a Zippo patina but the original stem is still in good condition and just needs to be cleaned up. Pipe is approximately 6 1/4" from tip to heel. The stem would probably work in your stummel. I don't remember paying much for it and haven't smoked it in years. I'll be happy to donate it to the cause if you want to shoot me a PM. Wow, what an offer! PM sent. I haven't worked on this project for days, too many honey-do things. I can't see over the top right now. Kinda like Kilroy at the fence...  |
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Post by Nevadablue on Dec 19, 2017 15:28:56 GMT -5
Yipee! The pipe from 10furlongs (Mark) arrived today. The pipe is nice, and is rusticated. The stem will fit my unsmoked smooth stummel and will make a perfect Van Cleef pipe. My home made stem will make the rusticated pipe whole again. Win win! Thanks Mark for the generosity.  |
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Post by That Falls Guy on Dec 19, 2017 18:10:47 GMT -5
There are pictures of Van Cleef smoking a meerschaum, but I am sure the one shown above is a briar. Well, as sure as I can be from what I have read and what I see in the picture. Just found this pic. Well I just got through watching The Big Gundown yesterday, and he had a different pipe entirely. Looked like a Churchwarden, but he had his hand around the bowl so much, that it was difficult to tell what it was. Anyone have a clue? |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 19, 2017 18:27:15 GMT -5
Yes, he did. But as far as emulations go, I prefer the original batch of those, from which I got this one below. "Stain" looks a little more natural. Unfortunately, the bit in the stem cracked after a while, even taking care not to clench. I hope they fixed that issue, but I don't know, as I've never bought another one.  |
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Post by trailboss on Dec 20, 2017 14:02:55 GMT -5
Sidenote... I was listening to a podcast of Clint Howard the other day, he is Ron Howard's brother....well their dad who recently passed on was the actor Rance Howard.  Rance was from Oklahoma and grew up around horses. Lee Van Cleef was trying out an acting job for a western..he had everything down, but had never ridden a horse....Rance gave him riding lessons in New York city. This pic is funny...Clint is under his dads right arm, Ron under his dads left...that is where their respective politics lie. |
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