Peterson: Christmas 2023 Sandblasted (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.

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.