Peterson: Peterson Archive Collection 2018 Sandblasted Fishtail Tobacco Pipe

The Pipe of the Year series stands as Peterson of Dublin's most premium limited-edition release, and it's been an annual tradition for the Irish marque since 1997. Many iterations of the series revive shapes from Peterson shape charts of days gone by, serving as a look into the storied past of the brand and connecting collectors to the brand's rich tapestry of tradition. The limited production of these pipes and their unique historic connection make them quite desirable to collectors, though this constrained scale of manufacture means that past Peterson Pipes of the Year are remarkably difficult to obtain, especially outside of the estate market. To simplify that task, Peterson released the Archive Collection in 2024, a line comprising exclusively past Pipe of the Year shapes in smooth, sandblasted, and rusticated finishes. Each pipe in the line features a sleek black stem and an elegant flash of silver, keeping the palette of these resurrected silhouettes timeless and refined. This particular shape is Peterson's "D23" Rhodesian, the Irish marque's 2018 Pipe of the Year, and it showcases a sinuous outline that's nicely poised for clenching and comfortable smoking. The transition is tight, giving way to a curling shank out back that arcs toward the stem, this pairing at the aft nicely balancing the bowl as it sits atop a firm, slightly pointed heel. The bowl's walls flare up to a high-set waist marked with twin beadlines that additionally denote the walls' swift taper to the rim: the stummel offering plenty of space to display this example's crisp sandblast and inky stain.