Rattray's: Black Sheep (106) (9mm) Tobacco Pipe

The "106" bent Billiard from Rattray's is a more gently bent rendition compared to the Scottish marque's "2" and "8" designs. With a stout, abbreviated shank, the "106" features a burly, broad bowl, making for a robust design that doesn't lack in palm-filling substance and that exudes a muscular, almost Pot-like presence. It's a pipe meant to be held, marked by a firm heel and hearty proportions, while the elongated, tapered stem adds a touch of accenting refinement in profile.

The dress-pipe aesthetic is one that typically combines a formal, ebony stain with a flashy, metallic accent. It's a color palette characterized by sophistication and elegance — pairing perfectly with a tuxedo and well-suited to a black-tie affair — and was pioneered by the introduction of Dunhill's Dress series in 1973. Since then the classy motif has been celebrated by pipe makers worldwide, and Rattray's Black Sheep line perfectly embodies the refined style, dressing this pipe in a smooth, jet-black stain and accenting the shank end with a metal band of concise texture.