Genod: Hardly known in Germany
The little town of St. Claude in the French Jura Mountains should now be familiar to every pipe smoker. Bruyere pipes have been made here for centuries and it is considered the "cradle" of modern briar pipe manufacture. But names like La Bruyere, Lacroix or EWA are almost forgotten. Only Chacom, and until a few years ago Butz Choquin, "held the flag high". But there is another manufacturer, which is hardly known in Germany: Genod!
Long tradition, yet young spirit
Genod can look back on a long tradition, as pipes have been produced in the manufactory since 1865. Initially, however, under the label G.V.G., which stands for the name Georges Vincent Genod, who took over Genod from Comoy-David in 1923. Georges Vincent worked in the factory with his son-in-law John Crean. In 1959, John's son, Jacques Crean, took over the company, who in turn passed it on to his son Jacky Crean in 1970. As of this year, the pipes from this manufactory are only stamped with "Genod". In 1977 the manufactory moved to its current location in the heart of Saint Claude.
Jacky Crean made the factory accessible to tourists and also opened a shop. The business prospered and was very popular. In 2006, Jacky was looking for reinforcements for his workshop and he found Sebastien Beaud, who was still very young at the time. He was very talented, not only with his hands but also with business. He soon took over the manufactory and brand. He made initial contacts with large pipe dealers in the USA, where his pipes quickly found a positive response.
Traditional French style
Genod pipes are characterized by a very traditional and solid design. Typical of the French style, much more emphasis is placed on proper function and good smoking qualities than on a fancy, overly creative appearance. The fact that Sebastien Beaud can rely on a very large stock of briar, some of which is centuries old, is very helpful. This then has a positive effect on the dry smoking properties of his pipes. The shapes speak a very classic language, and every now and then there are also typical French classics, such as very flat tomato-shapes, "Chateleine" - so-called "milk cans", or bulky Bulldog and Rhodesian variations included. All mouthpieces are hand-carved from ebonite. Most of the pipes in our range are 9mm drilled, but generally unfiltered pipes make up the largest part of Genod's range. There is no varnish at all, the pipes are only waxed with carnauba.
Solid smoking instruments for nostalgics
The level of manual work is very high. And so Genod pipes are certainly not "freehands", but definitely "handmade". All in all, you get extremely solid smoking instruments from Genod, which have an excellent price-performance ratio. Of course, you shouldn't expect any miracles of grain or innovative design. But anyone who has a heart for very traditional craftsmanship and brings a nostalgic streak will have a lot of fun with a new Genod pipe.
