Irish Estates: Peterson Rosslare Classic Smooth (999) (Fishtail) (2016) Tobacco Pipe

Defined by a Bulldog bowl and round shank, the Rhodesian is a classic shape that's enjoyed a place on traditional pipe charts for well over a century. On Peterson's chart, the age-old form is designated as the "999," showcasing everything pipe smokers love about the traditional shape — hard lines around the bowl; a tapering rim; and a stout, muscular disposition in hand — while also boasting the Irish marque's conventional shaping cues. The bowl tapers above and below the design's defining beadlines, while the rim barely rises above the transition thanks to the extra heft lent to the shank — a signature stylistic element of Peterson.

Peterson's Rosslare lines are united by a combination of sterling work from the expert silversmiths of the Sallynoggin factory and bright, sun-inspired acrylic stems. In the Rosslare Classic, that silver is featured around the shank end, separating the dark-stained, smooth stummel from a radiant stem of amber-hued acrylic. It's a striking, modern aesthetic but one that calls to mind the early years of pipemaking when genuine amber was used to fashion mouthpieces.