Peterson: Christmas 2023 Sandblasted (XL17) Fishtail Tobacco Pipe

Outside of the Sherlock Holmes Collection, the Watson design is designated as the "XL17" shape. Fittingly, it shares a number of shaping cues with the Original Sherlock Holmes design (the "XL11" across the marque's standard series). Both display a deeply bent shank-and-stem combination ending in a defined transition, and the only difference lies in their bowls — the "X11" poises the quintessential Holmes Calabash bowl, whose curves and flare coincide with Sherlock's eccentric, bohemian personality, while the tall Rhodesian of the "XL17" presented here, better embodies the Watson's more reserved, gentlemanly nature.

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.