Scottie Piersel Smooth Pencil Shank Billiard w/ Juma Estate Briar Pipe, Unsmoked

Description

In recent years, the sleek and slender shapes of early Anglo-French briars have seen a major revival in the artisan scene. From the cutty and “Arne” Dublin designs of Tom Eltang, to the “Bing” billiards of Merchant Service and Bruno Nuttens, it would appear that—at the risk of sounding like a marketing executive—thin is in. And none have gone quite so far in this direction as Scottie Piersel, who has made a name for herself for crafting ultra-light, high-grade briars. Interestingly, however, the inspiration for the “Scottie” style, which employs pencil-thin shanks stabilized by aluminum rods, did not come from briar pipes. Rather than the long, slim billiards popularized by Bing Crosby in the 20th century, the Scottie was inspired by clay pipes from much further back in time.

This particular Scottie is one of her signature, featherweight billiard designs, though it is something of a rarity, given that it wears a smooth finish, rather than Piersel’s more typical, sandblasted output. Looking at the excellent flame grain of the briar, I can see why this one was saved from the sandblasting cabinet. As for the rest of the design, it’s definitely a “Scottie,” complete with a contrast stain, a plum cumberland stem, and a collar cut from ivory-hued Juma.

This pipe is completely unsmoked and comes with its original sleeve.

 

Details:

Length: 6.2″ / 157.4mm

Bowl Width: 0.75 / 19.05mm

Bowl Depth: 1.49″ / 37.84mm

Weight: 0.9oz / 28g