Peterson 1999 Supreme Gold Spigot XL05S Smooth Calabash Estate Briar Pipe, Unsmoked

Description

Peterson pipes generally need no introduction, but just in case you’re unfamiliar: in 1876, a Latvian named Charles Peterson immigrated to Ireland and was hired making pipes in a workshop owned by Frederick and George Kapp. After rising through the ranks to become head craftsman, Peterson bought into the Kapp’s business, which was renamed, Kapp & Peterson (K&P). During this time, Peterson himself applied for several patents for pipe designs, including the world-famous Peterson’s System. Since then, Peterson has become one of the most recognizable names in pipe smoking and continues to produce high quality pipes from their headquarters in Dublin.

Peterson’s Supreme series is certainly one that lives up to its lofty designation. First debuting in the early 1950s, the various Supreme lines (more on that in a moment) represent the highest of the high-grade pipes Peterson produces. Today, 0.05% of all bowls turned possess the immaculate briar required to become qualify as a Supreme, resulting in pipes with exclusively extraordinary grain patterns. As hinted at a moment ago, however, the Supreme is a series, not a line, and has been for several decades. Rather, the Supreme series is divided into separate lines, with some being even rarer than others. A notable example would be the Supreme Gold Spigot, seen here. While today the Gold Spigot is a line unto itself, it was, back when this one was made (1999, during what is sometimes referred to as the “Dublin era”), produced under the umbrella of the Supreme series, with sister lines featuring other kinds of metal mounts. Aside from being a 9 karat solid gold spigot-mounted Supreme, this particular Pete is also rare in its shape, being an example of an XL05S. It is a classic, large, trumpet-like calabash shape, one which was—if memory serves—at one point an offshoot of the 1987 Sherlock Holmes pipe designed by Paddy Larrigan, which was itself modeled on the System shape 305. The XL05S and XL5S were then used for pipes outside of the (subsequently expanded) Sherlock Holmes range, though today it appears that only the XL5S Deluxe System model remains. On a final note, while contemporary Peterson Gold Spigot pipes have acrylic mouthpieces, this iteration is fitted with vulcanite.

This pipe is completely unsmoked. It comes with its original box, sleeve, and papers.

 

Details:

Length: 6.2″ / 157.4mm

Bowl Width: 0.88 / 22.35mm

Bowl Depth: 1.84″ / 46.73mm

Weight: 2.2oz / 64g