Peterson: System Spigot Smooth (306) P-Lip Tobacco Pipe

Bent pipes, while offering a comfortably clenched smoking posture, aren't often as convenient for setting down when need arises. Peterson solves that dichotomy in their "306" bent Billiard, originally introduced back in 1992. Featuring a generous bend and flattened heel, the "306" affords the benefits of a bent pipe as well as that of Poker — allowing the pipe to sit upright on a flat surface. Shape-wise, it resembles the bold form of an Oom Paul and exemplifies the Irish marque's muscular approach to shaping, making for quite the versatile pipe in signature Peterson style.

Peterson's System pipe is one of the Irish marque's most celebrated and historic innovations, boasting patents dating back to 1890. The System comprises three aspects: an army mount, internal condensation reservoir, and the graduated bore P-Lip mouthpiece (though Peterson does offer fishtail versions to accommodate smokers' preferences). Being the only externally visible of the three components, the military mount allows the pipe to be broken down even while hot, reinforcing the shank. Here, the added durability is thanks to regal sterling silver, with the added benefit of silver reinforcement about the tenon in a spigot mount arrangement. The other two parts, the internal reservoir and graduated bore, are found within the pipe itself — both working in tandem to remove moisture from the smoke. Such a construction requires a slightly different process when cleaning a System pipe, and results in a more flavorful, drier smoke. Dating back over a century, Peterson's spigot mounts are among the best exhibitions of the Irish marque's quality silverwork — such silverwork having informed Peterson's identity to nearly the same degree as the System pipe. In the System Spigot line, those two definitive Peterson elements are on proud display, combining the marque's renowned System engineering with their superlative silverwork. It's a testament to the company's influence on the pipe industry at large, and the System's continued popularity over the past 100-plus years bespeaks the company's reputation for quality, with this particular example dressed in a smooth finish and rich, chestnut stain.