Ashton 2006 Sovereign LX Large Smooth Lovat Estate Briar Pipe, English Estates

Description

Ashton is an English pipe brand created by William Ashton Taylor, a former Dunhill pipe-maker who left Dunhill in the 1980s to make pipes under his own name. Along with other pipe-makers such as Ken Barnes and Barry Jones of James Upshall and Les Wood of Ferndown, Ashton emerged as part of a new wave of high end, hand made British pipes in the late 20th century.

Dunhill’s Root Briar is undoubtedly one of the most iconic finishes in Anglo-French pipe design. It is little wonder, then, that several ex-Dunhill workers would go on to produce an analog when establishing their own, artisan workshops. Two of these individuals were Les Wood and Dolly Wood, who collectively created Ferndown pipes and its “Root” finish. Another was Bill Taylor who, along with a few other Dunhill alumni, created Ashton pipes and its Sovereign line. Just as Dunhill had done until around the late 1960s Taylor’s Ashton pipes were made from oil cured stummels, this time using a patented method of Taylor’s own making. The pipes were also, as seen with this one, beautifully grained, whether smooth or sandblasted. This one shows off wonderful straight grain, to the point where I’m almost confused as to why it didn’t get at least an extra, Straight Grain grade 1 qualification, though stamping was something that occasionally slipped Taylor’s mind. In any case, it’s still a real gem of a pipe, taking the form of a Lovat with a singular stoutness. It’s rare to see such a shape endowed with such muscle outside of American artisan pipe making (Premal Chheda being a notable point of reference). While this pipe is technically not a magnum by Ashton’s standards, I would imagine that most others would call it exactly that.

The condition is very good. The chamber is a little over-reamed, but that’s all I note. The pipe comes with its original sleeve.

 

Details:

Length: 7.2″ / 182.8mm

Bowl Width: 1.05 / 26.67mm

Bowl Depth: 2.12″ / 53.84mm

Weight: 4.3oz / 122g