American Estates: BriarWorks Classic Dark Rusticated (C52) Tobacco Pipe

The "C52" Rhodesian from BriarWorks is a modern interpretation of Comoy's vintage "498" shape. We've seen estate examples of the Comoy's design dating to the 1930s, and it's an old Anglo-French shape that renders the iconic Rhodesian form in plump, dramatically muscular proportions. BriarWorks' rendition stays true to the memorable form's characteristic design cues, featuring a stout shank, hearty transition, and a squat bowl with beadlines set just higher than the shank's top line. As such, it's a pleasantly compact pipe but with no shortage of in-hand substance.

As the name suggests, BriarWorks' Classic series comprises iconic, shape-chart standards and represents the workshop's standard-production lineup. While every BriarWorks stummel is carved on CNC (computer numerical control) machines based on pre-established templates for consistent shaping across renditions, the stem-fitting and finishing processes are entirely hand-applied by the American workshop's team of artisans: Pete Prevost, Bill Shalosky, and Micah Redmond. All three men are artisan pipe makers in their own rights, and BriarWorks' production model of combining mass-production processes with hand-applied, artisanal techniques results in modestly priced pipes with the engineering and aesthetic quality of handmade work. This particular example wears the workshop's Dark rusticated finish, offering a crisp, wire-brushed texture.