1988 Ashton Pebble Grain XXX Panel Billiard Estate Briar Pipe, English Estates

Description

Ashton is an English pipe brand created by William Ashton Taylor, a former Dunhill pipe-maker who left Dunhill in the 1980s to make pipes under his own name. Along with other pipe-makers such as Ken Barnes and Barry Jones of James Upshall and Les Wood of Ferndown, Ashton emerged as part of a new wave of high end, hand made British pipes in the late 20th century.

This particular pipe is a curious shape, one that I’ve only seen a handful of times from Ashton. Bill Taylor used to make them every so often, so it makes sense that this is an early Ashton, from 1988, back when Bill was at the helm and still in his prime. As is expected from Bill’s work, the burgundy Pebble Grain finish shows off excellent, ring grain sandblasting reminiscent of the old Barling’s Fossils or patent era Dunhills.

The condition is great. Some slight rim darkening and finish fading, but nothing major.

 

Details:

Length: 6″ / 152.4mm

Bowl Width: 0.83″ / 21.08mm

Bowl Depth: 1.6″ / 40.64mm

Weight: 2.0oz / 58g