Ashton Achievement XXX Sandblasted “Beehive” Brandy w/ Silver Estate Briar Pipe, Unsmoked

Ashton is an English pipe brand, one originally created by William Ashton Taylor. Taylor worked at Dunhill from an early age, becoming one of the company’s most accomplished pipe makers. But Taylor was also one of a number of craftsmen and women who who left Dunhill in the 1970s and 1980s, hoping to create something of their own. After experimenting with a couple of different projects, Taylor ultimately founded Ashton, a workshop for high-end, handmade pipes staffed by himself and other industry veterans like Frank Lincoln and Sid Cooper. Later, Taylor’s team were joined by another Dunhill alumnus, Jimmy Craig, who would take over the running of the workshop after Taylor’s sudden passing in 2009. Along with other workshops, such as Ferndown and James Upshall, Ashton would play a decisive role in the emergence of a new English high-grades scene in the late 20th century and beyond. Ashton’s Achievement series is unique compared the workshop’s other lines, in that it is marked not by a central, distinguishing feature (such as the burgundy sandblast or natural sandblast of the Pebble Grain and Old Church respectively), but by designs that are, quite simply, extraordinary, and which therefore do not fit neatly within the more established categories of Ashton pipes. Sometimes this means unconventional accents or ferrules, and other times it means shapes not typically found in the workshop’s portfolio. This particular pipe is a case of the latter. It’s a strange design, though those who are familiar with the history of English briars may recognize it as one that began its life not with Ashton, but Dunhill. It is sometimes referred to as the “Beehive,” though its official designation at Alfred Dunhill Ltd. was the “UT,” as it was one of the make’s Quaint shapes. Introduced during the interwar years, Dunhill’s UT made infrequent appearances throughout the 20th century, and is still made by Dunhill today (though the “UT” nomenclature has since been dropped). As with a number of distinctive Dunhill shapes, however, it would also become an object of study for artisans outside of the company. Given that Ashton was founded by, and remains overseen by, craftsmen who once worked at Dunhill’s factory, and given that Ashton has always leaned into its heritage in that vein, it is not too surprising that the Beehive/UT should make an appearance under the Ashton name—it’s certainly not surprising to see it executed so well. This pipe is completely unsmoked, with an original bowl coating. It comes with its original box and sleeve.   Details: Length: 6.6″ / 167.6mm Bowl Width: 0.82 / 20.82mm Bowl Depth: 1.71″ / 43.43mm Weight: 1.7oz / 50g

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