Eells

Eells is the name given to handmade pipes bearing the signature of pipe maker John H. Eells, who worked in Richmond, Virginia, in the USA. In the years when freehand shapes were in vogue at American workshops, Eells remained committed to classic English forms; his distinguishing trait was interpreting these familiar shapes at larger-than-usual scale.

He is also known for the support he gave his surroundings alongside his own bench: the Doctor of Pipes title, given to only two people each year, was awarded to Eells in 2011, and the award record cites him both for his mastery of shape and for his frequently being sought out as a guide by American makers. The master is no longer living.

Learning the Craft at Mincer's Shop

Eells's introduction to the craft came at Mincer's Pipe Shop, across from the University of Virginia campus. The shop's owner, Robert Mincer, was the brother of Custom-Bilt founder Tracy Mincer, and had settled in Charlottesville in the mid-1940s to start his own business. As a student, Eells bought his first quality pipe here in 1961: a small, fully bent Comoy's Tradition, chosen by Mincer himself. In 1968, returning to his studies, he took a part-time job at the same shop; he began with repair work and within a few years moved to carving under Mincer's supervision.

He did not come to this apprenticeship unprepared. Eells, who spent his childhood in the town of Walton in Delaware County, New York, began working as a jeweler's watch repairman at sixteen after his family moved to Charlottesville in 1958; these years spent with fine mechanisms laid the foundation for his manual precision. He studied at the University of Virginia from 1961 to 1963, took a break for three years of military service, and returned to Charlottesville in October 1966.