Peter Fischer

Peter Fischer is one of Switzerland's few independent pipe masters, working alone in a small workshop within the old-town fabric of Schaffhausen. His output is not series but piece by piece; his name is particularly associated with his calabash interpretation and a regional hunting pipe.

Production Line

Fischer's output falls into three groups. In his calabash interpretation, the main line of the traditional arrangement is kept, but transformed through shank work and applications in different materials; sources state that this design received model protection in Switzerland under the name "Fischer Calabash," though this has not been confirmed by an independent registration record. The second group is the Schaffhausen hunting pipe, shaped according to the wishes of a hunting circle: briar inlays over horn and deer antler are the distinguishing mark of this group. The third group consists of briar freehand pieces working from classic shape families; the maker says he never takes up the same shape a second time, so every piece remains unique.

He is said to be exacting about material choice, seeking not just that a block look good but that its smoking behavior also be good. According to the same account, his blocks come mainly from Greece and the Liguria coast area; setting aside one block from each batch to make a pipe for himself, as a way of testing the material, has over the years formed a personal stock of notable size. These details rest on a single source and have not been confirmed elsewhere.