Old Church Paneled Poker (XXX) (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 Poker features Ashton's Old Church finish, a light brown sandblast that allows for easy exploration of the bowl's handsome flame grain, birdseye, and cross grain. The bowl and shank each feature eight panels to take on octagonal profiles, matched by the shoulders of the stem as it transitions into the shank. The combination of paneled bowl, saddle stem, and Ashton's signature process makes for a light pipe, weighing in just under one-tenth of a pound from bit to heel. The stem's green cumberland adds a playful final touch to contrast with the stummel's sharp lines and straightforward coloring.