Ropp: Heritage Sandblasted (351) Tobacco Pipe

A lean, lengthy design, this "351" Lumberman from Ropp pairs a tall bowl to a long oval shank and an abbreviated saddle stem of jet-black vulcanite. The softly rounded bowl cants subtly forward for a sense of ebbing momentum that is offset by the arrow-straight configuration of the shank and stem. The low-set transition and sleek, flattened lines of the shank and stem keep the design tidy and streamlined, foregoing any unnecessary accoutrement or visual noise for an aerodynamic sensibility that lets the simple elegance of the shape take center stage.

Like all of Ropp's series, the Heritage features old-stock stummels sourced from the Chapuis-Comoy factory — all turned decades ago but left unfinished and without stems. The Heritage line here dresses these stummels in a rich, chocolate-and-charcoal stained sandblast, revealing the briar's natural grain patterns in alluring contrast to offer visual intrigue while maintaining the French marque's traditional aesthetic. They're also fitted to vulcanite stems — unlike the horn mouthpieces of the Vintage, Vintage Stout, Vintage Superior, and Ruby lines — for a classic motif similar to the Étudiant and Algerian Superior series but with considerably increased overall dimensions.