Pipe Tristan Rusticated Shape 55 Handmade Briar Pipe, New

Description

Pipe Tristan is the name used by French artisan Tristan Lefebvre. Lefebvre is part of a new wave of up-and-coming hand made pipe carvers from the birthplace of briar, following in the footsteps of figures such as Alain Albuisson, Paul Lanier, and Pierre Morel Sr and Jr. Lefebvre credits a wide range of influences upon his pipe-making, such as modern greats from Italy and Denmark, such as Carlo Scotti’s Castello and Tom Eltang, as well as more unique sources of inspiration, such as the centuries-old hunting pipes native to Germany’s southern Bavarian region. As such, Tristan is equally at home crafting his own spin on the ’55,’ the hawbill, or the Danish Dublin as he is reviving the Ulmer Kloben – when he isn’t inventing his own shapes, that is.

Speaking of the 55, here we have one of Tristan’s homages to the iconic Castello shape. If you’re familiar with Castello pipes, you might notice, as I did, that Tristan’s rendition is closer to the earlier 55s produced under Carlo Scotti’s tenure than many modern versions. It is dressed in Tristan’s signature Granite finish – a similar nod to the granular, pebble-dash Italian style of rustication, with Lefebvre’s version being particularly rugged and tactile. Its natural, near-naked stain is paired with something you won’t find on most Italian pipes, however: high-grade, cumberland ebonite. On a final note, this is one of the more compact 55-inspired shapes Tristan has made, with a shorter length and smaller bowl that should make it an ideal pocket pipe.

 

Details:

Length: 5.2″ / 132.0mm

Bowl Width: 0.70 / 17.78mm

Bowl Depth: 1.04″ / 26.41mm

Weight: 1.4oz / 42g