English Estates: Ashton Old Church Poker with Silver Army Mount (XXX) (2015) Tobacco Pipe

At 15, William (Bill) Ashton-Taylor began his pipe-making career by signing under Alfred Dunhill. Starting as an intern and affiliated 'tea boy,' Bill retained a keen interest in the craft. Eventually, this sparked the attention of Harry Saigrott who began showing Bill the artistry of pipe-making. By 1980, Bill founded Ashton Company, setting a high standard for quality pipe making. Bill passed away in 2009, but pipe maker Jimmy Craig proudly carries on the Ashton name. Stamped "XXX," this Poker from Ashton is a more handsome rendition of the classic shape. The bowl stands tall and firm, with sturdy walls traveling from a flattened heel to the rim. Fitted with a silver army mount, a thick shank transitions from the bowl and accepts a demurely bent, tapered stem. Ashton's Old Church finish dresses the stummel in a warm, earthy sandblast.