Ashton: Brindle Bent Billiard with Silver (XXX) Tobacco Pipe

Jimmy Craig of Ashton has done well in in upholding the workshop's reputation for crafting fine Anglo-French classics, and that is something to which this bent Billiard can attest. Though it may not be as sinuously curved as Dunhill's "LC" shape, it is still quite deeply bent, with a high-reaching saddle stem that ebbs out of a sharply upturned shank. Said shank ebbs forth from a tight transition that's wide enough to drape a digit, but still poises the shank and stem for comfortable smoking and easy jaw-hanging. The heel is nicely rounded and sweeps into a tall bowl that's canted forward for a dynamic, active look, while its rounded walls offer a comfortable feel in hand. As part of the Brindle series, it's dressed in a dark sandblast that unveils some handsome grain, and it's paired to a handsome cumberland stem that does well to complement the briar's finish while a broad silver band at the junction offers rich contrast.