Pipe Tristan Natural Sandblast “LC” Handmade Briar Pipe, New

Description

I used to say that Pipe Tristan’s Tristan Lefebvre was part of a “new wave” of “up-and-coming” artisans from France, the very birthplace of the briar pipe. But that description doesn’t do him justice these days. Lefebvre isn’t so much a “part” of the latest generation of French artisans as the craftsman leading the charge; likewise, he is no longer “up-and-coming,” but has already secured himself a place alongside historic compatriots such as Alain Albuisson, Paul Lanier, and Pierre Morel Sr and Jr. Lefebvre does still, however, credit the same major influences upon his pipe-making. These include as modern greats from Italy and Denmark like Castello and Tom Eltang, as well as more unique sources of inspiration, such as the centuries-old hunting pipes native to Germany’s southern Bavarian region. As such, Tristan is equally at home crafting his own spin on the ’55,’ the hawbill, or the Danish Dublin, as he is reviving the Ulmer Kloben – when he isn’t inventing his own shapes, that is.

Though Tristan Lefebvre is well-known for his unique, Italian- and Danish-inspired designs, right from the beginning there was one distinctly Anglo-French shape that Lefebvre kept returning to: the extra large, 3/4 bent billiard. More specifically, the Dunhill “LC” rendition served as a subject for many of Lefebvre’s homages, which would be a large part of how he garnered such early acclaim. With its tall, egg shaped bowl and long, swan-neck shank and stem, the LC is both an iconic shape and a means for artisans to show what they can accomplish, given how difficult executing a good one is. We’ve had one Pipe Tristan LC homage before; this one is a little different. Instead of a heavy finish, it wears a simple, natural sandblast. Like Lefebvre’s Natural Granite finish, his natural sandblast pipes use choice briar, free from cosmetic imperfections, allowing for a near-naked, ring grain relief that will, over time, take on a patina, just like the Dunhill Tanshell. This rendition also features a hand cut ebonite stem with swirling tones of black, green, and gold.

 

Details:

Length: 6.5″ / 165.1mm

Bowl Width: 0.77 / 19.55mm

Bowl Depth: 1.63″ / 41.40mm

Weight: 2.2oz / 64g