BLENDS
I did not find this blend when I first looked through my parent's rolodex. But when a customer noticed Cary Grant's photo and asked what he smoked, I looked more carefully. Sure enough on the back of one of the cards, my mother had written Cary Grant - and what he smoked. My parents said he could not have been more delightful - but my mother did say that when he came in the shop, she had to almost trip my father to be sure she got to wait on him! (it kind of made up for Marlene Dietrich holding my father's hand when he repaired her lighters!)
This clean, crisp cool smoke with just a hint of natural sweetness was a favorite tobacco choice of Leonard Nimoy, Tony Curtis, Charles Bronson, and Richard Sherman.
All prices include sales tax for U.S. residents - except California residents who must also pay 9.25% sales tax. A shipping charge will be assessed based on your location and current USPS rates.
There is a minimum 4 oz. order (any combination of our blends) to mail
We accept Visa and American Express.
Place your order by calling us - (310) 273-9777 - or emailing us at kramerstobaccoshop@prodigy.net
PRICES
$4.50/ 1 oz.
$9/ 2 oz.
$18/ 4 oz.
$36/ 8 oz.
$68/ 1 lb. discount
The good father, an Irish priest, and my father Allen Kramer (who came to America as a child from Russia), may have seemed like an odd duo, but they became fast friends. When Father Dempsey was assigned to the Church of the Good Shepherd in Beverly Hills, right behind our shop, he would always come in for a visit. The Father was used to buying his tobacco at Dunhill, but told my father he'd rather buy from his shop, if he could create a comparable blend. They spread out his blend on the tobacco bar and my father studied it. He was able to identify the different tobaccos, but not the proportions. So they kept trying different formulas until finally Father Dempsey said: "Stop right there! This is better than my old blend ever was." And soon so many of the Father's friends and parishioners were coming in asking for "Father Dempsey's tobacco" that it came to be called just that. My father would say it has the aroma of a campfire burning - a smooth and full bodied Latakia based blend.
Among those in our rolodex who chose Father Dempsey's blend were Cecil B. DeMille, Henry Wilcoxon, Samuel Goldwyn, Gene Barry, John Conte, Ricardo Cortez, Howard Duff, Herb Edelman, Mel Frank, Mike Kaplan, Jesse Lasky, Sr., Fred MacMurray, Robert Sherman, and Mel Tolkin. Father Dempsey is gone now, but when he passed away he left his statue of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus and the medal he carried through the battle of Dunkirk to my father - and of course, the legacy of what is Kramers most popular house blend.
This special balanced combination of Cavendishes and Virginia tobaccos is ideal for a gentle, mild smoke - and has been enjoyed by Corey Allen, Jesse Lasky, Jr. and Aaron Spelling (and we just happen to be in 90210).
This popular blend is a rich, complex smoking mixture - perfect for those who prefer their pipe tobacco full, naturally sweet, with spicy highlights. Among those who loved this mixture were James Arness, Buddy Ebsen, Normal Fell, Bernard Fox, Cy Howard, and Leonard Kaufman.
My father did blend this especially for the late, great entertainer. It is a variation of our New Mix, blending it to finish with an Irish aroma. It was also the favorite of Andre Previn. Once, when Mr. Kaye was in the shop & heard that my mother was in traction for her back, he called her at the hospital from the only phone we had (a payphone). She didn't believe it was him, so he asked what could he do to prove it to her. She said, "Sing something fast" - and he did.
Mellow, smooth, topped off with an Irish Aromatic tobacco, this has been a preferred blend of Pat Boone, Patrick Boyriven, James Brolin, Dick Gautier, James Komack, Hugh O'Brien and Roger Smith.
For those of you who can't make it into the shop, our blends are online at smokingpipes.com