Ropp: Honoré de Balzac Sandblasted (206) Tobacco Pipe

The majority of Ropp's portfolio comprises svelte and slender shapes that reflect classic French shaping of decades past. A sleek Acorn design, the French marque's "206" shape retains that conventional style, with a narrow bowl that expands ever-so-slightly near the rim for an ergonomic presence in hand and organic motif overall.

Considered one of the founders of European realism, Honoré de Balzac was a French novelist and playwright whose work greatly influenced the likes of Charles Dickens, Gustave Flaubert, and Jack Kerouac. Ropp presents their Honoré de Balzac series, comprised of Churchwarden shapes, as an homage to the writer — quite the apt commemoration, as Churchwardens are considered popular reading pipes. Perfect for smoking while lounged in an armchair, the characteristically long stem ensures that attention remains on the pages before you, requiring little movement to smoke. It's a series marked by classic French shapes, rendered by a classic French marque in honor of a classic French literary figure, with this particular offering presented in a traditional sandblast and accented by the line's flashy nickel accent band.