Pipe Tristan Rusticated Shape 55 Style Handmade Briar Pipe, New [SOLD OUT]

Description

Pipe Tristan is the name used by French artisan Tristan Lefebvre. Lefebvre is part of a new wave of up-and-coming hand made pipe carvers from the birthplace of briar, following in the footsteps of figures such as Alain Albuisson, Paul Lanier, and Pierre Morel Sr and Jr. Lefebvre credits a wide range of influences upon his pipe-making, such as modern greats from Italy and Denmark, such as Carlo Scotti’s 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.

Speaking of the 55, here we have one of Tristan’s homages to the iconic Castello shape. If you’re familiar with Castello pipes, you might notice, as I did, that Tristan’s rendition is closer to the earlier 55s produced under Carlo Scotti’s tenure than many modern versions. This one has a very strong ‘jaw,’ giving it a wonderfully assertive side profile. The pipe is finished with Tristan’s Granite rustication, which is similarly Italian-inspired, but aims to be sharper and more tactile than other variants. The pipe is completed by a tortoiseshell acrylic stem, which provides a nice contrast to the dark stain of the briar. Curiously, Tristan has managed to keep this pipe under 40 grams, which may mean that it is clenchable for veteran smokers – it’s possibly the first time I’ve seen a ’55’ or a ’55’ tribute do that.

Details:

Length: 5.5″ / 139.7mm

Bowl Width: 0.73 / 18.54mm

Bowl Depth: 1.24″ / 31.49mm

Weight: 1.3oz / 38g