American Estates: Barclay-Rex Smooth Rhodesian Tobacco Pipe

Founded in 1910, Barclay-Rex is a Manhattan-based tobacconist, established by Vincent Nastri, an Italian pipe maker. The company name comes from a portmanteau of the store's original location, Barclay St., and Nastri's dog, a Great Dane named Rex. A family-run institution for three generations that's still operational, the Barclay-Rex tobacconist has made a name for itself thanks to its lines of fine pipes, pipes that include this Rhodesian. The outline here is impressively sinuous, with a deep bend through the shank and stem combination that curls up and out of a tight transition, tapering all the way to the button. This shank and stem combination is poised for comfortable smoking and easy jaw-hanging, and the duo does well to balance the presence of the bowl at the fore. Said bowl is tall and fairly thick, canting forward as it stands atop a rounded heel and flaring toward a high-set waist marked with twin beadlines that additionally denote a sleek taper to the rim. Dressed in a warm stain, the stummel here showcases handsome grain throughout, with birdseye present on either flank of the bowl.