Peterson’s Emerald XL90 Rusticated Bent Billiard Estate Briar Pipe

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.

This has to be the craggiest Emerald – and one of the craggiest of any Peterson line – I’ve ever seen. And that isn’t where the curiosities end, either. Take a look at the stamping: not ‘Made in the Republic of Ireland,’ but simply ‘Made in Ireland.’ Now, this stamping was the norm in the patent and pre-Republic era of Peterson pipes, but the Emerald line was not introduced until the late 1980s. Furthermore, the Emerald of the 1980s was not rusticated like this one, but was more of a pebble-dash style. But contemporary Emeralds are stamped also with the ‘Republic of Ireland’ country of manufacture. With so much conflicting information, what are we to make of the pipe? Well, I did some digging, as I can never resist a mystery. This appears to be one of the pipes from a commemorative reissue some years ago, as the Emerald line has been sporadically in and out of production since its birth. That makes it quite distinct, and perhaps quite appealing for collectors. In any case, it is a lovely pipe on its own merits.

The condition is great. There is a touch of inner rim darkening, but it is very minor and superficial.

 

Details:

Length: 5.8″ / 147.3mm

Bowl Width: 0.80 / 20.32mm

Bowl Depth: 1.41″ / 35.81mm

Weight: 2.1oz / 62g