Peterson: Aran Smooth Nickel Mounted (53) Fishtail Tobacco Pipe

Peterson's approach to shaping can best be described as taking classic English and French shapes and imbuing them with a touch more muscularity. Part of this aesthetic was born out of Peterson's patented System engineering requiring a larger shank, but the style has even made its way to non-System Peterson pipes. The "53" Lovat is a fitting example — a classic shape through-and-through, this piece is rendered in quite a compact form, while remaining substantial throughout the shank and transition and housing a respectable chamber.

One of Peterson's most traditional finishes, the Aran presents a color palette of chocolatey stain and jet-black stem. In the smooth iteration, it highlights the briar's natural grain pattern with handsome reservation — not distracting from the form's shape yet, at the same time, offering enough definition and detail to remain intriguing and individual, accented here with a flashy nickel band to add some formal panache and elegant appeal.