Peterson: Christmas 2023 Sandblasted (221) Fishtail Tobacco Pipe

While the bent Billiard is a classic shape, rendered by countless companies, Peterson's "221" iteration is readily recognized as the work of the Irish marque because of the added visual weight attributed to the shank and transition. Such extra heft stretches the heel and provides more palm-filling substance. It makes for an eye-catching, muscular form in profile yet remains well balanced thanks to the curled transition and bent stem out back.

Peterson's Christmas Pipes have been an annual tradition since 2009, the Irish marque dressing a selection of their iconic shapes in appropriately festive fashion. In recent years, Peterson has accented this series with copper, though for 2023, they showcase the skill of their silversmiths by accenting the pipes with broad bands of intricately etched silver. These silver bands feature inset beadlines around the Peterson logo and provide a wealth of contrast against the stummel's finish. In addition to the fine display of silverwork, these pipes exhibit Peterson's talent in the blasting cabinet by dressing the stummel in a craggy sandblast that's been stained a deep, rich red: evocative of some of the earliest sandblasts to appear in the pipe world. What results is a finish that is utterly timeless, reminiscent of pipes crafted in the early 20th century and embodying an elegant character that's endlessly charming.