Irish Made Army Smooth (701) Fishtail Tobacco Pipe

In Peterson's 1945 catalog, the Irish marque introduced four Speciality shapes: the Barrel, Tankard, Calabash, and Belgique. The line trades Peterson's conventional shaping cues for a slender, petite disposition, a stark contrast to the robust, muscular aesthetic that dominates the Irish firm's portfolio. These are the smallest, most lightweight designs Peterson has to offer, and they've been popular favorites over the past 70+ years, with many pipe smokers devoting them to flake tobaccos. Originally, the Tankard, presented here, forwent a usual, numbered shape designation, but in 2021, the svelte and streamlined take on the sure-sitting Poker became known as the "701" on Peterson's shape chart.

The Irish Made Army line from Peterson is devoted to the military mount. The construction requires a metal cap around the shank end and a stem devoid of tenon, the tapered base of the stem fitting directly into the mortise. The metal mount adds reinforcement to the briar, and the lack of a tenon ensures a snug fit unaffected by varying temperatures or years of wear. The design's lineage and moniker date back to WWI when soldiers would repair cracked shanks with spent shell casings. Practical and aesthetically handsome, the motif has lasted the better part of a century — showcased here in a smooth finish and flashy nickel mount.