Astleys Rusticated Canadian Estate Briar Pipe, English Estates

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.

Aside from the churchwardens I’ve handled, this has to be the longest Astleys I’ve ever seen. At 8 inches long, it’s even longer than, for example, the Bing revival pipes made recently by Bruno Nuttens. The question is, who made such a pipe for the venerable Jermyn Street tobacconist? I have one hypothesis: James Upshall. Barry and Ken’s James Upshall pipes were not ordinarily this long, at least in the Tilsheads, the P, B, S grades, etc. Or even in the B-and-up grades. But they did made pipes of this size for the Empire series, which included rusticated Acclaim grade. So, my thinking is that this must have come from Upshall, and would otherwise have been destined to be some kind of Empire offering.

The condition is great. There’s a little darkening on the rim, and a little finish fading on the rim and bowl, but nothing major that strikes me.

 

Details:

Length: 8″ / 203.2mm

Bowl Width: 0.83 / 21.08mm

Bowl Depth: 1.78″ / 45.21mm

Weight: 1.4oz / 42g