Astleys of London Smooth Bent Bulldog Estate Briar Pipe, English Estates [SOLD]

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.

I would be very surprised if this wasn’t a James Upshall-made Astleys. Not just because of its similarities to the Upshall P-grade finish, but because I could swear I’ve held Upshall-make bent bulldogs just like it. As this is not a shape I’m familiar with from any of the Great British pipe factories of the time, I’m also inclined to think that it was handmade, which would lend further support to the Upshall hypothesis.

The condition is great. There are one or two small scratches around the bowl, but that’s it as far as I note.

 

Details:

Length: 5.6″ / 142.2mm

Bowl Width: 0.79 / 20.06mm

Bowl Depth: 1.4″ / 35.56mm

Weight: 1.6oz / 48g