It's interesting reading about the view that the Cocks and Bryan book was criticised for revealing 'secrets'. Pipe making wasn't the only 'secret' treasured by by those "in the know' from the North East of England. Leek growing was another area of expertise where tempers ran high when secrets were shared and custom and practice challenged. I witnessed many vehement arguments regarding the growing of exhibition leeks and wondered how grown men could allow themselves to be dominated by the obsession with secrecy and the preservation of the status quo.
I gave up on the growing of leeks as I didn't have the passion and commitment. I do however have a set of s/h pipes, as yet unplayed by me, made by Mick Wilkins I also have the Cock and Bryan book and the unrealised ambition to make a set of my own. Does anyone know of Mick Wilkins? Apparently he lived in Bradford, UK. Vernon On 17 May 2011, at 22:46, [email protected] wrote: > Personally, I think that any attempt to compare Mike Nelson's Book and > website with the Cocks and Bryan Pipemaking book is a bit like comparing > apples and pears. > > Jim Bryan's book was an honest attempt at getting at getting information > about pipemaking as it was understood within NPS circles into the public > domain and he received some criticism for 'revealing secrets'. The main value > of the book lies in the drawings as far as I am concerned. They have there > inaccuracies and in some cases errors but nevertheless they contain much > valuable information about classic pipe design. Many pipemakers (including > Mike Nelson) have started their 'careers' by making the a set of pipes using > the drawings of a simple set made by Dunn for Peacock. > > Mike Nelson brought his skills in engineering design to pipemaking and made a > small number of sets (which are highly valued by their owners) and made his > knowledge available to the piping community, initially through his book > (published by Richard Butler) and more recently via his website. I have > certainly encountered many parts of pipes which obviously came from Mike's > drawings and I am aware that his book was widely photocopied. > > > Barry > > > > > Quoting Richard Shuttleworth <[email protected]>: > >> Mine is a hardback edition in pristine condition. Never used - I prefer the >> information on Mike Nelson's web site. >> >> Richard >> >> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Philip Gruar" <[email protected]> >> To: <[email protected]> >> Sent: Friday, May 13, 2011 5:41 PM >> Subject: [NSP] Re: Cocks & Bryan Book for sale >> >> >>> I've got one with probably even more oil stains than the one for sale. >>> Perhaps I could get more than $100 for mine. >>> >>> Philip >>> >>> >>> To get on or off this list see list information at >>> http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html >>> >> >> >> > > > >
