Pohlmann Pipes (Brad Pohlmann)

Pohlmann Pipes is the brand of handmade briar pipes American master Brad Pohlmann produces under his own name. Pohlmann's story is a clear example of a pattern often seen in American pipe making: workshop training in youth, a long career gap, and a return made in maturity.

From Apprenticeship to Workshop

Pohlmann, born in California, saw his interest in pipes turn into a professional pursuit in the mid-1970s; records say he toured England and Scotland's established pipe firms in 1975, and the following year researched the addresses of small American benches to find a place to apprentice. In 1976 he entered The Briar Workshop in Stowe, Vermont. The workshop, run by Elliott Nachwalter and Jorg Jemelka, was a place well regarded among the young American benches of the era.

Pohlmann stayed there for roughly five years and became one of the few able to carry out every stage of the work on his own. During this time the team moved from Stowe and Hyde Park to Coral Springs, Florida; the master's first technical foundation formed during these years.