Vauen Bruyere Extra Prince w/ Amber Stem Estate Briar Pipe Unsmoked

Vauen stems from Germany’s oldest tobacco pipe manufacturing company, tracing its roots back to the founding partnership of Karl Ellenberger and Carl August Ziener in Nuremberg, 1848. Out of the Ellenberger-Ziener partnership soon came the Vauen make itself, which grew to become Germany’s largest and most enduring pipe brand – a title that it continues to hold to this day. This is not your average Vauen. In fact, it might just be the oldest Vauen I’ve ever come across. It’s not only an unfiltered, highly traditional, panel prince, but it also has a genuine amber stem. This is highlighted by the stamping “ECHT BERNSTEIN” on the pipe’s right side, which is German for “genuine amber.” Given the design, I have to wonder whether this Vauen might be at least 100 years old. It doesn’t have the white dot (or Weißpunkt) used on early Vauens from the 1920s onward (which only later became used solely for high end lines), and it doesn’t use the 9mm, “Dr Perl” filter system debuted in 1934. Since the Vauen make itself was created in 1909, I have to wonder whether it was made between then ans the 1930s. I’m not 100% sure, but it is definitely old. This Vauen is also completely unsmoked. Please bear in mind that amber, while certainly suitable for pipe stems, is a little more brittle than acrylic or ebonite.   Details: Length: 6″ / 152.4mm Bowl Width: 0.65 / 16.51mm Bowl Depth: 0.73″ / 18.54mm Weight: 0.8oz / 24g