Ashton: Claret Billiard (XX) Tobacco Pipe

Headed by Jimmy Craig, English workshop Ashton primarily crafts pipes of a timeless, classical style, often elevated by stems of signature brindled vulcanite and fitments of elegant silver. This Billiard is a lightweight, balanced piece that's well-suited to carry and lends itself easily to travel or clenching, despite being straight. The transition is wide, with plenty of room to drape a digit, and it gives way to a slim, cylindrical shank that extends to meet a sleekly tapering stem of black vulcanite. The slenderness of this combination keeps the pipe light and the focus on the bowl, which here stands atop a rounded heel and makes a subtle forward urge that keeps this pipe looking understatedly dynamic. This bowl features a touch of curvature through its slight, arcing taper to the rim, and it offers plenty of space to display the handsome grain revealed by the stummel's vibrant, ruby-toned Claret sandblast.