Studio Devona

Tulip Fever

Tulip Fever, a film set in 17th century Holland in which my pipes are seen with actor Judie Dench.

Tom Hollander also starred in Tulip Fever smoking one of my pipes.

Taboo

Tom Hardy seen with several of my pipes in the TV series Taboo, 2017

Another scene with Tom Hardy seen with one of my pipes in the TV series Taboo, 2017

Poldark

Those who have watched the remake of the famous Poldark TV series might have noticed some of my pipes in various scenes.
I also made a special pipe for Aiden Turner who plays Captain Poldark in the series as a personal gift although in the remake they have not had him smoking.

Poldark - Scene during the trial of Jim with one of my longer pipes in the background.

Poldark - Scene where the mine workers observe the return of Captain Poldark from America at the beginning of the series.

Poldark - one of the scenes around the table at the shareholders meeting where they are trying to raise capital to begin mining.

Jericho

Some of my pipes appear in the 2016 ITV series Jericho.

BBC Feature on my Collection 2016

In February 2016 I was interviewed for a feature for BBC Spotlight TV. Filming took place at my studio and also at the City museum here in Exeter, UK, where I had a large display of my clay pipes for several months.

In this photo there was a bit of a joke because the camera man asked me if I had eaten any breakfast so that I would talk to get a mic volume check. My response was serious and I was telling him that I had not had any breakfast and wondered why he was asking in case he was picking up gurgling noises from my stomach on the mic.

Johnny Depp

In June 2014 I was asked to make a pipe for Johnny Depp by his friend Elijah Blue Allman. Later I was asked to make some more and eventually I think I made about 8 pipes for Johnny.  For the design shown here I used a typical 1700 style shape for the bowl and added into the design a Skull and Crossbones on one side and the Sparrow design that he likes on the other side. I did one in white clay and one in black. Would love to have got a picture of him with the pipe but it would be a rare thing to receive.

My Pipes in Movies & TV

Since I began making clay pipes in 1998 some have been supplied for TV and the Movies although film makers being what they are do not always use them in the final show! However, you might like to know that my pipes have been supplied, and "have" or "may have" appeared, in the following productions, to name a few:

TV DOCUMENTARY: O Fôn i Virginia: Goronwy Owen. A Teleg production for S4C.
TV SERIES: The Colony - filmed at Plimoth Plantation, Massachusetts, USA
TV DOCUMENTARY: Seven Ages of Britain by David Dimbleby (pipes did not appear in final cut)
Unknown Movie for Warrior Films
TV SERIES: The Great British Story - filmed in South Africa
TV Documentary/Film: Real Pirates of the Caribbean
2012 MOVIE: James Bond - Skyfall (was invited to supply for a "down and out casino scene" but did not go ahead)
2012 MOVIE: Les Miserables
2013 MOVIE: A Little Chaos (No pipes seen in final film!)
2013 MOVIE: The Invisible Woman - DNA Films
2014 MOVIE: Far from the Madding Crowd - DNA Films
2014-2015 TV SERIES 1: Poldark remake, Mammouth Films
2014-2015 TV Documentary/Film Son's of Liberty
2014-2015 MOVIE: Tulip Fever, Tulip Fever Films due out 2017
2014-2015 TV series: Knifeman
2014 Scottish supernatural web series Caledonia
2015 ITV TV series Jericho
2015-2016 TV SERIES 2: Poldark remake, Mammouth Films
2015 Royal National Theatre
2015 Taboo Productions Ltd for BBC1 Taboo series 2016-2017
2015 Old Red Lion theatre - Asking Rembrandt
2015 Globe Theatre, London
2015-2016 UK TV Comedy Show: Drunk History’s
2016 West Yorkshire Playhouse Theatre production Great Expectations
2016-2017 TV SERIES 3: Poldark remake, Mammouth Films
2016-2017 Jamestown TV Series Sky 1
2016 TV Series: Queen Victoria
2017 TV Series: Gunpower
2017 TV/FILM The Miniaturist - based on the novel
2017 The Frankenstein Chronicles Season 2
2017-2018 MOVIE: Favorite, Warner Bros
2017-2018 TV Series 2: Queen Victoria, Mammouth Films
2017 The National Theatre, London
2018 Outlander Series 4.

After 2018 I was making less pipes due to ill health for some years so the TV and Movie supply list was not kept up to date.

Crew of the Scavenger relaxing with pipes I made before heading out to take another prize. USA 2022.

Another crew member of the Scavenger. USA 2022.

Another crew member of the Scavenger. USA 2022.

Drew reenacting Native America Algonkian ancestry, USA 2021. He is smoking one of my early 18th century style pipes and he used red hematite power that I collected from nature to paint his face as Native people once did.

Thanks to Mark and friends for this photo taken on the coast of Maine, USA 2021.

Francis enjoying two of my designs in 2019. The Ghost Pipe was a design I only made a few of, they were tricky to make because on the inside I had to add a piece to the bowl to act as a filter.

In this picture Francis is with the Nosey pipe where the whole bowl is shaped like a nose and I even added an extra comical touch of a fly on the nose too!

Alex in Canada lighting up one of the 1666 plague pipes. 2020

Niklas in Sweden enjoying one of my short Dutch style pipes. 2019

2017 Johan in Sweden does a lot of reenactments

This video called Making Coffee is really fun to watch!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qU426JEkaU

J E Beneyto 2019 with a curved English 1700 style tavern pipe

Patrick portraying a member of the Brunswick Prince Friedrich Regiment as they garrisoned Fort Ticonderoga 2017.

Pete in Devon UK with one of my Forest Deer pipes 2017.

Anne Nunn - as the Beggar, in Runnymede Drama Group's production of 'The Beggar's Opera' at the Rhoda McGaw Theatre, Woking, Surrey, November 2016   http://rdg.org/

David in Michigan has a custom Gryffon pipe I made for him - something to really show off!

And here is a close up of the pipe I made for David which was all hand modelled and took quite a while to make.

Dick Whittington and His Cat, William Shakespeare, Henry VIII. Pipes by myself. These are one-off portrait pipes I did based on images seen in books.

The Worshipful Company of Tobacco Pipe Makers and Tobacco Blenders took part in the Lord Mayor's Show in London on 8th Nov 2014 and were kind enough to supply me with this picture. I was asked to supply the clay pipes for them to use for this event which are long pipes that I designed based on London styles of the 1700 period.
You can read more about this Company on their website at
http://www.tobaccolivery.org/ - they have a long history of tradition in London going back to 1616.

A one-off pipe made by me for incorporation into this artwork by David which was used for a Discworld Calender 2006.

More amazing artwork at http://www.david.wyatt.btinternet.co.uk/

Clay pipes in a 2011 performance of Pride and Prejudice produced by LAMDA, London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art

http://www.lamda.org.uk/

Paul and friend in England at Tanfield Railway
https://www.facebook.com/TheRanTanners/

Kenneth sent me a picture of this amazing dancing frog smoking one of my pipes! I hope the frog was made of plastic and not a real one.

Oderlesseye the famous pirate reenactor from the USA with my 1718 design pipe pinned to his hat.
You can find him on Youtube and see his movie there as well -Treachery and a Dead Man's Promise

Joaquim in Catalonia reenacts the War of the Spanish Succession with one of my pipes.

Xavier in the uniform of Line Infrantry Regiment of the Deputation of the General, Royal Army of the Principality of Catalonia, during the War of Spanish Succession.
Image with kind permission.

Adrian with one of the Olde Fisherman clay pipes which was a new design I made in 2017

Keith in Ayrshire enjoying one of my Adventurer pipes while out on an adventure in the hills in full Scottish costume.

Daniel in Brazil with one of my mid 17th century replica pipes.

Bill in Montana with one of my Black Cutty pipes. Thanks Bill.

Joshua on kaua'i. Looks like a great place to enjoy one of my Upright pipes

Muggs aboard his ship off the coast of France enjoying a custom ship & anchor pipe I made for him. Thanks Peter.

Antonio in Italy has chosen to portray himself in the style of fine marble statuary with one of my 1700 style pipes!

Thanks to Gunpowder Gertie and her host of friends for these super pictures!
Note the rat in the picture also wearing a pirate hat - perhaps the rat should have a pipe too.

More thanks to Gunpowder Gertie and her friends for this picture!

The 'Cerdic Blackheart' makes port in Brixham in England where he will entertain you with his music and fine theatre!
Here he shows off his custom skull pipe and spine-chiller tobacco tamper I made for him.
I have made a couple of dozen pipes for Blackheart including moulded pipes and many one-off pieces with intricate designs and with colours and gold gilding on some.

I made this special one off piece based on a French figural in my collection. It was the head of Ruben's the painter.

Another pipe I made for him is shown here being used in his roll as 'Bob Elliot', the well known Brixham Smuggler often called 'Resurrection Bob'.

Some more very specially detailed skull pipes that I made for Blackheart. I did about eight of these.

This skull pipe has glazed red dots on it which look like drops of blood.

And on this pipe I did a small skull inside a black heart design. I think this design looks great.

Den Glade Galte tavern reenactors in Norway with my pipes. Image courtesy of Bjorn with thanks. I was asked to create a pipe design with a pig image on one side and the name of their tavern on the other. I did a large batch of them at the time back in about 2000. The mould I later sold off.

Johan and Frida in Sweden reenacting the militia rangers Foot dragoons

Doug and his Wife in America enjoying Christmas with one of my Nelson at Trafalgar clay pipes.

Lorenzo in California enjoys a black cutty pipe.

Here he is again with one of my 1718 designs.

Bryan in Virginia next to an old mid 18th century store built with Scottish tobacco money.

Gee in England enjoying my pipes while cruising the canals on his narrow-boat.

Steve using my pipes at the Frontier Culture Museum at Staunton, Virginia USA.

Steve using my pipes at the Frontier Culture Museum at Staunton, Virginia. This time he is as a doctor.

Paul in Chicago enjoys one of my Upright cutty pipes. Thanks for the pic Paul.

Barry in America demonstrates the lighting of one of my 1718 Blackbeard clay pipes using metal tongs and an ember.

Jon in the USA with a Wizard Pipe - March 2012. These were difficult pipes to make not just because of the length but because the curved stem made them weak and they often broke quickly so I stopped making them even though I kept the mould.

Doug at the reenactment of Waterloo, 2015 with my Napoleonic Ribs pipe.

Paul and his son John reenacting Waterloo in 2015 using my Napoleonic Ribs design.

Capt. Beau in USA with one of my Martime theme clay pipes 2017

Paul in England with one of my Traditional Dutch style pipes

Reenactor with one of my Black Cutty pipes at Heron Corn Mill, Cumbria, UK

Tad in Texas enjoys his pipe any day of the week - Dec. 2012. When he is not smoking my pipes he wrestles alligators at a refuge!

Rick, one of my neighbours in England in 2016 enjoyed his favorite pipe I made for him - a custom made Tudor.             RIP Rick.

Steve in America is a great musician and appreciates one of my cutty pipes while playing his guitarrrr.
You can check out his music at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtRkSMPb_eE

Brad in England knew just the right place to get this picture taken with one of my Forest Deer pipes which is decorated with an oak tree, an acorn and a deer.

Martin in Scotland proudly poses with one of my Adventurer pipes.

Jim in the USA risked life and limbs for this shot with my replica 17th Century Mariner pipe - 2010
(Good job Filo was taking a nap!)

Here is a close up of my replica pipe showing the head and the alligator design.

Jim in England with one of my earlier 18th Century style pipes.

Chris in England reenacting the 17th century and story-telling around the fire.

Owen enjoys one of my Admiral style pipes at a 2012 gathering in England which included dragons, elves and hobbits.

Dutch Still Life with Oysters
James is an American Realist Painter and has incorporated some of my pipes into his superb art.

To see and purchase his paintings visit: http://www.jameswhitbeck.com

Paul with one of my clay pipes at Northumberland Beamish Museum.

My pipes depicting Nelson at Trafalgar made for a special Royal Navy banquet on the famous ship HMS Victory at Portsmouth, England 2009. These pipes were copies of actual originals from England made soon after 1815.

Chris in the USA reenacting Sir Walter Raleigh with a Tudor Style Pipe in 1999.

Alan in England with a custom Tudor style pipe while wearing Sir Walter's smoking cap. The smoking cap has not been verified as belonging to Sir Walter himself but does look very old and made of seeds stitched together. It reminded me of a middle-eastern cap worn by either sailors or those for praying. Smoking caps I read were not something used in Tudor times but much later on in the later 18th and 19th century.

Paul in USA enjoying one of my traditional Irish cutty pipes

Actor using a pipe I called The Westminster.

As seen on the documentary O Fôn i Virginia: Goronwy Owen. A Teleg production for S4C. Photograph by kind permission of S4C.

In this scene they had the pipe smoking at one point for the filming using smouldering charcoal in the bowl as the actor was not a smoker.

During 2014 I also made several custom and moulded pipes for the well known musician Elijah Blue Allman in Beverley Hills for his favorite themes in his Tudor style home there. I ended up making a couple of dozen custom pipes for Elijah over a few years and his friend Johnny Depp. The picture here shows one of my trade-pipe designs which appealed. Elijah is one of the son's of the very famous actress/singer Cher and the late Blue's legend Gregg Allman.

Pop Star Michael Jackson. About 15 pipes in all were produced and sold as Limited Editions for fans during 2012-2013.
I do not consider myself a fan of Michael's music, however, growing up in the period in which he came to fame was quite something to witness. His sudden death and the amazing funeral with a gold coffin left an impression in my mind - its not every day you witness the service dedicated to such talent. This is what inspired me to choose him for the theme on this pipe design. In the 19th and early 20th Century clay pipe making firms often produced pipes of famous people of the time.

Phil Jupitus the famous English Comedian.
A One-Off piece commissioned by a personal friend and posted directly to his stage dressing room.
I was asked to include a note with it saying "Get a Pipe!" as this was apparently an "in" phrase being used on his show at that time.

Portrait clay pipe made by me, as posted to Sir Terry himself in 2011.
The late Sir Terry was the Author and Creator of Discworld, the very famous fantasy novels now also being made into movies.
About 20 pipes were sold as Limited Editions for followers of this great writer.

HRH Prince Charles. A One-Off pipe modelled by myself which remains in my private collection. This one took about 20 hours to create carefully modelling the clay while observing the Prince from several photographs. Obviously he is now HRH King Charles.

The photo here shows the pipe after being modelled before it was fired in the kiln.

This shows the same pipe after completion with colours added and a stem as well.

President Obama. A Portrait pipe I created as sent to the US President at The White House in 2009. I was inspired to make this pipe while watching the winning election. In the past US Presidents have already been portrayed as clay pipes so I was carrying on the tradition here. The pipe I chose to send to him took about a month to reach The White House. I have no idea if he actually got to see it as many gifts are posted I read - some specially chosen pieces are put on show.
The President is actually not allowed to keep anything he is sent as a gift although in the past one President did purchase something.
I read not so long ago that the his wife has talked him out of smoking - he was apparently fond of Cuban Cigars.

Barry in the USA lighting up one of the Limited Edition pipes on news of the President being elected for another term.

Queen Nefertiti. Pipe made by me,  a special large show pipe with real gold lustre features. Just a few were made, some left white and others coloured. The first piece was made for Susie White who is a clay pipe archaeologist and well as specializing in Egypt as well.

In June 2014 I was asked to supply clay pipes for the remake of the very famous Poldark TV series that was produced back in the 1970's - a story about life and love set in Cornwall in the 1790's.
Being a big Poldark fan myself I was most thrilled. The original series
starred actor Robin Ellis who played Captain Ross Poldark - a soldier and mining Captain. It was in the first series back then that I first saw actors using clay pipes so the memory stuck in my mind. The picture shown here is of Ross Poldark from the original TV series and is not one of my own pipes, however, I also include a picture of a clay pipe I made for Robin Ellis which I posted to him at his home in Southern France and he wrote to thank me for it. I made the pipe in honour of him being the original Ross Poldark!

Here is a picture of the pipe I sent to Robin Ellis.