24 of 35 Items
24 of 35 Items
One of the oldest Turkish tobacco pipe manufacturers, Altinay Pipes has been crafting masterful meerschaums since 1964. A family business, you can see the precision and care that three generations have poured into crafting some magnificent pieces.
To tell the story of Altinay Pipes, we should start with the founder. Necdet Altinay was born in 1941 and began learning about the craftsmanship needed to master carving meerschaum pipes at the age of 14. Apprenticed to some of the best masters of the era, Necdet quickly rose up and earned his Mastery at the age of 23, becoming one of the youngest to do so.
Once Necdet opened his store in 1964, he worked on creating meerschaum tobacco pipes that were shaped in the traditional styles you find in briar pipes. He did this by spending some time with European carvers, learning how to make a briar pipe so that he could replicate those shapes with his native meerschaum.
While you can easily craft meerschaum into intricate and fascinating designs, the traditional shapes were an area that briar dominated. Necdet wanted to ensure that he could provide whatever design or style someone wanted.
Eventually, Necdet brought his son Nedim and grandson Said into the company, imparting his wisdom and experience to them. The family would spend a few years together in the workshop, three generations of meerschaum artisans creating masterful pipes before Necdet passed away in 2018, at the age of 77. His legacy is secure thanks to the training and skills he shared with Nedim and Said, who both create expert works.
With Altinay Pipes, you can find traditional briar shapes along with the more artful designs you typically find with meerschaum pipes.
Remember that care and maintenance for a meerschaum pipe is different than a briar pipe. Learn more about meerschaum here.