Northern Briars Rox Cut Regal (3) Partially Rusticated Canadian (Estate)

It would be fair to say that for Ian Walker, the English artisan behind Northern Briars, pipe making runs in the family. His grandfather, George Walker, was a foreman at the Duncan Briars factory in the early 20th century, before leaving to found a pipe repair company in 1958. George Walker was joined by his son, Peter Walker, in this endeavor, and, later, a young Ian would also join the workshop, moving his way up from sweeping floors, to polishing pipes, until he was finally ready to do full repairs himself. The Walkers ran one of England’s most trusted pipe repair shops for many years, and Ian Walker continues to provide repair services to this day. Since the 1990s, however, Ian Walker has made pipes of his own, under the name of “Northern Briars.” With a little encouragement and guidance from his friend, the late Bill Taylor, Ian Walker would soon become one of the premier artisans of the contemporary English scene, crafting handmade pipes from his workshop aboard a canal boat.

Much like Italy, England has its own tradition of high-grade rusticated pipes, especially those of the artisan scene that emerged in the late 20th century. Ferndown’s Bark is perhaps the most famous example, but there was also the Ashton Pebble Shell (rusticated and sandblasted in tandem), James Upshall’s “carved” series, and the various, more recent rusticated finishes utilized by figures such as Chris Askwith and Paul Larrysson Hubartt. And, of course, there’s the Rox Cut, Ian Walker’s flagship rusticated series under the Northern Briars moniker. The Rox Cut Regal is a subset of Walker’s signature finish, featuring a carefully hand-carved relief and a deep, dark top coat, as seen on this extra long Canadian rendition.

The condition is good. Some darkening and slight scratches on the rim, and minor finish fading.

Details:

Length: 7″ / 177.8mm

Bowl Width: 0.84 / 21.33mm

Bowl Depth: 1.74″ / 44.19mm

Weight: 1.4oz / 42g