Peterson: Aran Smooth Nickel Mounted (265) Fishtail Tobacco Pipe

A less often seen shape from Peterson, the "265" Billiard pairs a standard bowl to an oval shank — much like their "264" Canadian but with a shorter shank. Such a design cue forgoes the Irish marque's typically bold and muscular sense of proportions, opting instead for a sleeker, more streamlined profile. It's an excellent option for those who desire Peterson's quality but prefer a shape on the more classically English or French side.

One of Peterson's most traditional finishes, the Aran presents a color palette of chocolatey stain and jet-black stem. In the smooth iteration, it highlights the briar's natural grain pattern with handsome reservation — not distracting from the form's shape yet, at the same time, offering enough definition and detail to remain intriguing and individual, accented here with a flashy nickel band to add some formal panache and elegant appeal.