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STeffen Mueller
the Photographer 
Steffen Mueller made pipes and even got out to pipe shows. He's come to the Chicago show a few times and when he wasn't selling his pieces, eating snacks or accepting compliments, he went around the showroom and into the tent with a camera strapped around his neck taking pics of fellow makers and those attending. He became so good at it, and got so many great pictures, that he retired (hopefully a temporary hiatus) from pipe making to become a photographer and has put together a yet to be published book, Pipe People. While you wait for it, and while we all wait for his return to pipe making, Steffen has kindly permitted me to give you a sneak peak. So, light up, relax and enjoy the pics. But offer up a prayer to the pipe gods that Steffen's camera strap begins to irritate his neck to the point that he returns to pipe making. Some folks thought he was pretty good at that; hell, he got even got a nice write up in the very last issue of Pipes and Tobacco Magazine. Possibly realizing that there wasn't a better pipe maker around, the rag ceased publication with that issue. This particular collection, picked by Steffen, reminds me of John Lennon's song In My Life about friends and lovers, some departed, but always with us. Enjoy. |
FUN FACTS
Steffen at work in his shop, The PipeMill, in Hohberg, Germany.
One of the founding members of Grainstorm.
One of the few living pipe makers to have his work displayed in a museum. His take on the art of Piet Mondrian was exhibited during centennial of the Stijl Movement at the Museum aan de Maas in Dordrecht, Netherlands. Mondrian did not attend.
Ran for mayor of Kippenheim, Germany. Lost by 68 votes.
You can read more about him on Pipedia and Fumeurs de Pipe.