Peterson: Christmas 2023 Sandblasted (B42) Fishtail Tobacco Pipe

In 2009, Peterson released the Darwin "B42" shape in commemoration of the sesquicentennial of Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species. The English naturalist's seminal work was published in 1859, just 17 years before another Charles would join Fredrick Kapp in founding the longest-standing pipe manufacturer in the world: Kapp & Peterson. The "B42" is a robust bent Apple, displaying an Author-like substance through the shank and transition that exemplifies Peterson's signature aesthetic — a perfect homage, to both Charles Darwin and Charles Peterson himself.

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.