Peterson: Deluxe System Barley (CP) (20s) P-Lip Tobacco Pipe

In the Deluxe System series, the "314" bent Billiard is stamped "20s." One of Peterson's smallest and lightest bent Billiards, the "20s" is marked by a curvaceous and diminutive profile. It still displays the Irish marque's conventional shaping cues — the shank and transition continuing the bowl's stoutness — just in a smaller, more compact overall size. It's the perfect pipe for those drawn to Peterson's signature style and System engineering but desire a more versatile pocket pipe.

Indicated by their "CP" stamp, Peterson Deluxe System Barley pipes feature in the Charles Peterson Collection. It's a special and prestigious collection of limited, small-run releases that highlight innovation in design and technique — as seen previously in Peterson's Rua, Barley Spigot, Iora, and Rusticated House Pipe Spigot — in honor of Charles Peterson's pioneering spirit and influence on pipe making at large. Available in limited quantities, pipes within the Charles Peterson Collection showcase unique finishes, distinctive shapes, and attention to detail possible only through small-batch production, and this special iteration of the Deluxe System series, specifically, is distinguished by a virgin-finished iteration of the Irish marque's signature rustication, paired with the iconic shapes and engineering of the Deluxe System line. Peterson's System pipe is one of the Irish marque's most celebrated and historic innovations, boasting patents dating back to 1890. The System is comprised of three aspects: an army mount, internal condensation reservoir, and the graduated bore P-Lip mouthpiece (though Peterson does offer fishtail versions to accommodate smokers' preferences). Being the only externally visible of the three components, the military mount allows the pipe to be broken down even while hot, reinforcing the shank. The other two parts, the internal reservoir and graduated bore, are found within the pipe itself — both working in tandem to remove moisture from the smoke. Such a construction requires a slightly different process when cleaning a System pipe, and results in a more flavorful, drier smoke. The Deluxe stamp first appeared on System pipes in 1940, but the design itself dates to Peterson's earliest years, with examples found in the 1896 and 1906 catalogs. With the exception of the extremely rare Supreme, it has always marked the highest tier of System pipe. Unlike the System Standard line, Deluxe System pipes feature sterling silver mounts — Peterson's silverwork being a significant source of pride and renown for the factory. Boasting select-grade briar, the Deluxe System also benefits from space-fitting stems, evocative of old-school System pipes. This aspect, while never patented, is a prominent Peterson innovation; these stems were "never intended to go quite home," the space between the mount and stem base gradually decreasing with prolonged use. Furthermore, the Deluxe System showcases Peterson's "chimney": an aluminum fitment that extends the tenon past the chamber's airway for optimal System performance. Originally introduced in 2021 as part of the Spigot series, the Barley line is distinguished by a natural, virgin finish and crisp sandblast, employing stummels hand-selected for their cleanliness and consistency. Like any other wood or organic material, briar can present natural blemishes and imperfections, making virgin finishes rare, and the Barley series prioritizes bowls with as few impurities as possible, resulting in a true tanblast that reveals the wood's natural grain in handsome relief without stain. Such a finish accentuates the briar's natural color palette in tandem with the line's sterling silver accent's elegant sheen, and these pipes will develop a natural patina as they're smoked, darkening with character to contrast against the silver.

-Truett Smith