Peterson: Flame Grain Spigot (701) Fishtail Tobacco Pipe

In Peterson's 1945 catalog, the Irish marque introduced four Specialty shapes: the Barrel, Tankard, Calabash, and Belgique. The line trades Peterson's conventional shaping cues for a slender, petite disposition, a stark contrast to the robust, muscular aesthetic that dominates the Irish firm's portfolio. These are the smallest, most lightweight designs Peterson has to offer, and they've been popular favorites over the past 70+ years, with many pipe smokers devoting them to flake tobaccos. Originally, the Tankard, presented here, forwent a usual, numbered shape designation, but in 2021, the svelte and streamlined take on the sure-sitting Poker became known as the "701" on Peterson's shape chart.

Peterson's esteemed Flame Grain series consists of pipes crafted from select quality briar, carefully chosen for their choice grain orientation. The designation represents one of Peterson's highest grades, and in this example the lively array of grain is brought out by a smoky, black walnut contrast stain. This particular example is made all the more striking in the Spigot rendition — featuring the Irish marque's superlative silver work at the shank end and push style tenon. These fitments not only provide flashy accenting touches, but they also have added practicality: the spigot mount arrangement adding durability and enabling stem removal while the pipe is still hot. It all combines for a striking, austere aesthetic and is a perfect example of one of Peterson's higher-tiered offerings.