Rattray's: Majesty Smooth Terracotta (18) (9mm) Tobacco Pipe

The most proportionally muscular and dramatically tapered straight Brandy in Rattray's portfolio, the "18" presents a broadly splayed waist with a crisp taper toward the rim. I find that the Brandy shape is one of the most ergonomically comfortable of classic shapes with the degree of upward taper directly proportional to that in-hand comfort. As such, Rattray's "18" conforms exceptionally well to wrapped fingers, and it remains visually balanced thanks to the stout shank matching the heartiness of the lower bowl.

Presented in an array of finishes, Rattray's Majesty series offers pipes in a ruddy sandblast or smooth finishes with ebony or chestnut stains. They all focus on a traditional aesthetic with added elegance through a generous brass accent, evoking the style of an army mount but with a standard mortise-tenon arrangement. Ever elegant and eminently regal, this particular Majesty example is presented in the Light Smooth version.