Ashton: Old Church Billiard (XXX) Tobacco Pipe

William Ashton-Taylor began his pipe-making studies at a mere fifteen years of age as an assistant in Dunhill's workshop. He demonstrated great interest in and talent for the craft, which led him to move up through the ranks before he eventually left to start his own company, Ashton, in 1983. This Billiard from Ashton hews closely to traditional Anglo-French shaping standards, with balanced proportions throughout. Despite the pipe's bulky proportions, it is rather lightweight. Like many standard Billiards, the cylindrical bowl stands with a minute forward cant before the cylindrical, arrow-straight shank and stem arrangement, and the shank maintains a thickness that is proportional to that of the bowl. A flat panel along the bottom of the stummel allows this Billiard to rest upright, while the crisp Old Church sandblast dresses the stummel, highlighting attractive grain throughout.