Astleys of London Smooth Straight Pot Estate Briar Pipe

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.

This is an impressive pipe, even for an Astleys. While the shape is an eminently traditional straight pot, the carving and finishing of the pipe as displayed here is nothing less than masterful. First, the grain is spectacular, showing off a consistent, tight straight grain around the bowl and shimmering bird’s-eye patterns on the rim. Second, the brown sugar stain, reminiscent of the famed golden contrast, emphasizes the grain patterns underneath perfectly. Finally, the pipe is nicely light, at 40 grams, making it a reasonable clencher for veteran smokers. So, who made it? It’s similar to Dunhill’s ’06’ straight pot, but I’ve a feeling that Dunhill would have kept a pipe like this for themselves and sold it as a Dead Root (and for hundreds of dollars). It’s more likely to be an Upshall or a Ferndown product, then. Definitely hand-made.

To top it all off, the condition is near-mint. Whoever previously owned it took good care of it.

 

Details:

Length: 5.7″ / 144.7mm

Bowl Width: 0.97 / 24.63mm

Bowl Depth: 1.3″ / 33.02mm

Weight: 1.4oz / 40g