Old Church Bulldog (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.

Ashton's sandblasted Old Church finish brings out the excellent ring grain circling the bowl of this Bulldog, allowing it to be easily traced with eye or finger. The bowl stands especially straight for a Bulldog, particularly below the bead lines, with a slight arc falling down to the heel. The tapered stem, sharing the same geometric shaping as the shank, wears a green brindled finish to give the piece a nice splash of color.