Peterson's Archive Collection has featured Pipe of the Year models from years past, revived in faithful renditions of the original releases. For 2026, the Archive Collection extends to vintage series as well as a Pipe of the Year edition, across various shapes and finishes. Step back in time and discover Peterson's Archive Collection, available now in limited quantities.

Archive Collection

The unique series of this year's Archive Collection are pulled from Peterson's 150-year archive of shapes and styles, and serve as a look into the storied past of the brand and their tapestry of ongoing tradition.

Great Explorers Collection (Circa 2002)

The most vintage of the Archive Collection, the original Great Explorers Collection was released in 2002 as a four-pipe collection honoring legendary Antarctic explorers — Ernest Shackleton, Robert Falcon Scott, Roald Amundsen, and Tom Crean. Each of these limited-edition briars featured a sterling silver band engraved with "Peterson Great Explorers."

Within the Archive Collection, the Amundsen is highlighted, named after Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen, featuring a large, bent Billiard shape with a Fishtail stem, dressed in Heritage and rusticated finishes.

Amundsen, born in 1872 in Borge, Norway, and passing away in 1928 in a plane crash, was the first to navigate the North-West Passage on his own ship, Gjøa, doing so between 1903 and 1906, during which he located the site of the magnetic north pole.

Then, in 1911, he became the first person to reach the South Pole. Additionally, he was the first to take a transarctic flight across the North Pole in 1925, alongside his backer, Lincoln Ellsworth and pilot Hjalmar Riiser-Larsen, in the airship Norge to Alaska via the North Pole.

River Collection (Circa 2007)

Named after the major rivers of Ireland, the River Collection was launched in 2007, constituting unique designs, each sporting a sterling silver accent etched with an Insular/Romanesque style depiction of tossing wavelets.

The Boyne is a straight rusticated Rhodesian with a Fishtail stem that takes its name from the Boyne river, whose course is laden with aspects both archeological and mythical — from the ancient city of Trim, to the Newgrange prehistoric monument, to the legendary seat of the "High King of Ireland" at the Hill of Tara. Considered the heart of Ireland's Ancient East, River Boyne offers tours for visitors.

Writers Collection (Circa 2010)

Released in 2010, the Writers Collection featured four pipes honoring legendary Irish authors — James Joyce, Oscar Wilde, William Butler Yeats, and George Bernard Shaw — The latter two represented in the Archive Collection this year.

The designs intended to capture the persona of its respective author: the Yeats, a sturdy Cherrywood, and the Shaw, a muscular bent Dublin, both rusticated and equipped with Fishtail stems. William Butler Yeats is best known for his poetry and is one of the most popular figures in 20th-century literature. George Bernard Shaw is revered for his influence in playwriting, with his work featuring social commentary wrapped in wittiness, challenging Victorian morality, class structures, and inequality.

Molly Malone (Circa 2011)

This series was released in 2011, named for the famous Irish landmark and the figure from an old Irish ballad, often seen as symbolic of the impoverished women of Dublin who made their modest wages via a trolley full of wares by day. The Molly Malone pipe is dressed in a rusticated finish, and comprises a bent and straight edition with Fishtail stems.

The aforementioned landmark is a Molly Malone statue on Grafton Street, unveiled by the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Alderman Ben Briscoe, during the 1988 Dublin Millenium celebrations. The ballad dates back to the late 19th century, published in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1876, and attributed to Edinburgh-based composer James Yorkston in 1883, according to Joni Mitchell's official website. Mitchell recorded the song, which can be found from her early repertoire musically.

Whether Molly is a real woman is up for debate. "There is no evidence that the song is based on a real woman," reads a footnote from Mitchell's website. "The name 'Molly' originated as a familiar version of the names Mary and Margaret. While many such 'Molly' Malones were born in Dublin over the centuries, no evidence connects any of them to the events in the song. Nevertheless, the Dublin Millennium Commission in 1988 endorsed claims made for a Mary Malone who died on 13 June 1699, and proclaimed 13 June to be 'Molly Malone Day'."

Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (Circa 2011)

Also released in 2011, the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes set assembled some of the most beloved pipes from Peterson's iconic Sherlock Holmes series, lining up London's darkest villains, from Detective Chief Inspector Stanley Hopkins to Count Negretto Sylvius, and Professor James Moriarty to Colonel Sebastian Moran.

All four of these pieces were stained in a burnt-sienna classic hue in distinct shapes, also featuring a sterling silver band and a P-Lip stem. Represented in the Archive Collection for 2026 is the Moran, honoring the Colonel with a robust bent Billiard.

The beloved detective needs no introduction, created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in 1886. Sherlock Holmes first appeared in A Study in Scarlet, a novella that appeared in Beeton's Christmas Annual published December 1, 1887, according to Sherlock Holmes.com.

Pipe of the Year (Circa 2019)

Peterson's 2019 Pipe of the Year revisited an old classic: the original "999" Rhodesian shape, first appearing in 1937 catalogs, and dubbed the John Bull after the national personification of England. Here it is presented in a dark ruby sandblast, adorned with a sterling silver band and a P-Lip.

Pipe of the Year serves as a celebration of the Irish marque's iconic history and innovations in the briar pipe space for over 160 years, diving into the archives to capture the tradition and heritage of the brand year after year.

Into the Archives

Ideal for nostalgic collectors and newcomers who are searching for older pieces to add to their rotation, Peterson's Archive Collection honors older series and presents them in a refreshed collection to a new generation of pipe smokers. Which Archive piece do you have your eyes on? Let us know in the comments.

Bibliography

• The Enigma of Sherlock Holmes: From Creation to Legacy | Sherlock Holmes. The Sherlock Holmes Company. (n.d.)
• Far Studios. (n.d.). Song Lyrics - Molly Malone. Joni Mitchell.
• The River Boyne In Ireland's Ancient East. Boyne Valley Tours. (n.d.).
• Roald Amundsen: Polar Explorer. Royal Museums Greenwich. (n.d.).
• Weintraub, S., & Stewart, J. I. M. (Eds.). (2026, July 7). George Bernard Shaw | Biography, Works, Famous Plays, & Facts. Britannica.
• William Butler Yeats. The Poetry Foundation. (n.d.).