Ashton 1991 Old Church XXX Silver Spigot Dublin 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.

The Old Church was William Taylor’s re-imagining of Dunhill’s Tanshell finish—specifically, the early, mid-century Tanshell. Like Dunhill’s these pipes featured a craggy sandblast and a light, natural stain. Also much like the early Dunhill, Ashton’s Old Church pipes underwent seasoning and oil curing, in a precise technique patented by Taylor himself. This Old Church Dublin, produced during Taylor’s tenure at the helm of Ashton, is among the craggiest finishes I’ve ever seen, which makes for a powerful contrast against the elegance of the pipe’s sterling silver spigot.

The condition is very good. Minor rim darkening and slight handling marks.

 

Details:

Length: 6.5″ / 165.1mm

Bowl Width: 0.85 / 21.59mm

Bowl Depth: 1.67″ / 42.41mm

Weight: 1.4oz / 40g