Astleys of London, Smooth Briar Pipe, English Estates [SOLD OUT]

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 must say, this Astleys is quite an usual shape, though this is to be expected with hand made pipes, especially when they are produced without standardized shape charts. It’s a real mixture of design elements from other, more traditional shapes: the basic angle of the pipe and the ever so slightly conical shape of the bowl reminds of a Dublin, but the convex rim is more like a bulldog or Rhodesian; it has the oval shank of a Canadian, but the stem is closer to Dublin or billiard length; it could pass for a ‘straight’ pipe, but the shank and stem exhibit the subtlest ‘bent’ curve; finally, the bottom of the bowl is slanted, as is sometimes seen on the skater shape. I think it works rather well, and it’s certainly unique. The pipe also has lovely grain patterns, with the bowl covered in bird’s-eyes that are brought out by the natural, light brown stain.

The pipe is in pristine condition. As can be seen from the photographs, this pipe was well looked after, having no rim charring, visible scratches on the stummel, handling marks, or stem damage.

 

Details:

Length: 5.6″

Bowl Width: 22.2mm

Bowl Depth: 1.9″

Weight: 1.9oz / 54g