Astleys of London Rusticated Lovat Estate Briar Pipe

Description

Astleys was one of London’s most historic pipe and tobacco shops. Like many pipe tobacconists, its owners had pipes made specially to be sold under the shop’s name. Astleys pipes, however, were made by some of the premier pipe manufacturers and artisans in the UK, such as Dunhill, Charatan, Les Wood, and Ken Barnes and Barry Jones of James Upshall. As a result, Astleys pipes are prized for their quality, and as examples of the very finest British pipes.

As neither Dunhill nor Ashton rusticate their pipes, and as Charatan has rarely done so, this Astleys is, by process of elimination, likely to have been made in the Ferndown or James Upshall workshops. It’s a very traditional Lovat shape of around group 2-3 size, making it highly portable and extremely lightweight.

The condition is good. There are a couple of handling marks, including one or two spots where the finish has faded or nicked off, but these are superficial imperfections. I’ve adjusted the price accordingly, in any case.

 

Details:

Length: 5.5″ / 139.7mm

Bowl Width: 0.75 / 19.05mm

Bowl Depth: 1.48″ / 37.59mm

Weight: 0.9oz / 26g