Brindle Bent Dublin (XX) (2026) Tobacco Pipe

William "Bill" Ashton-Taylor spent his working life around pipes, starting as a lathe operator with Dunhill at the age of 15 in 1959. He struck out on his own with the Ashton brand, spinning its first pipe in 1983. Bill took immense pride in the process of making Ashton pipes. He traveled to Italy twice a year to buy wood, steeped his turned bowls in a blend of oils before heating them to draw out unwanted sap, and even garnered a British patent for his unique manufacturing process that produced pipes that were much lighter than their competitors. Bill died in 2009, but the Ashton process lives on through disciple Jimmy Craig.

This bent Dublin features Ashton's Brindle sandblasted finish, which brings out the stummel's cross grain in conjunction with a rich, dark stain. The touch is accentuated by the strong, dense walls of the bowl, well-suited for long periods with a lit portion of tobacco. The Dublin bowl is only lightly canted forward with the cone-shaped chamber that smokers have enjoyed for ages for its ability to concentrate flavors as the bowl's diameter gradually shrinks.