Peterson: Irish Made Army (128) Fishtail Tobacco Pipe

Originally designated as the "D16," the "128" bent Dublin is one of Peterson's more classically proportioned shapes. It forgoes the Irish marque's signature style of robust proportions, trading their oft-seen muscular shank and transition for a more slender, sinuous form. The "D" line was first produced for the Irish marque's Danish distributor, Larsen and Peterson, around 1996, focusing on traditional Danish shaping and featuring shapes that are more slender and elegantly curved than the hearty Irish style of Peterson's other pieces. In the "128" bent Dublin, that aesthetic is manifested by a bowl that flicks upward from out of the heel and flares conservatively in a forward cant for a dynamic, sleek profile. Certainly a shape worthy of consideration for those drawn to Peterson's historic reputation and who want a more streamlined shape-chart standard.

The Irish Made Army line from Peterson is devoted to the military mount. The construction requires a metal cap around the shank end and a stem devoid of tenon, the tapered base of the stem fitting directly into the mortise. The metal mount adds reinforcement to the briar, and the lack of a tenon ensures a snug fit unaffected by varying temperatures or years of wear. The design's lineage and moniker date back to WWI when soldiers would repair cracked shanks with spent shell casings, the extra durability also allowing them to break the pipe down at a moment's notice without fear of damaging the pipe while it was still hot. Practical and aesthetically handsome, the motif has lasted the better part of a century — showcased here in the smoky, smooth stain and flashy nickel mount of Peterson's Irish Made Army series.