Philly’s highest talent when it comes to making glass pipes

"PHILADELPHIA is the Mecca of glass right now when it comes to the East Coast," said Andrew Stechman, owner of South Philly's first headshop, Glass on Glass (1346 S. 9th St., 215-952-0700). The longtime South Philly resident (a member of the Anastasi Seafood family, which has held court at 9th and Washington for decades) added that Philadelphia has a long history of pipe-making; many of the tools used to blow glass were manufactured at the Navy Yard during World War II. We asked Stechman, who says 80 percent of his inventory is made in Pennsylvania, to clue us in on some of his favorite artists and companies in Philly.

COMPANIES:

Pyrology Glass: Based in the lower Northeast. "The only pipes I have at home are Pyrology," Stechman said. "I haven't seen anything [else] built like this."

Name Brand: "They just put out a very consistent product, and the price point is there," Stechman said. "They're an industry standard."

Illadelph: A big name in the industry, but Stechman doesn't sell its product because he can't afford Illadelph's exclusivity rights.

ARTISTS:

Germ: Works in Marble Slinger's shop. Stechman praised Germ's use of color. Also known for his Judaica work.

Filthy Rich: "He's one of my favorite glassblowers because he's so happy," Stechman said. "His style is very simple. If you're looking for a $20 spoon, he's the guy."

Slinger also offered up a couple of his favorite Philadelphians, some of whom have recently moved:

Joshua Opdenaker: Less organic and more sharp with his lines than many other artists. Now lives in San Diego.

JAG (Just Another Glassblower): His pieces don't even look like glass, let alone pipes. Now resides in San Diego.

Snic Barnes: Snic now lives in Austin, Texas, but we'll be happy to claim his art nouveau-meets-Steampunk style. n