James Upshall Billiard Pipe

This estate piece is a breathtaking, highly imposing example of premium British pipemaking royalty: a James Upshall smooth Billiard. Born from the rich heritage of Charatan when former managing director Kenneth Barnes and master carver Barry Jones teamed up, the James Upshall brand became synonymous with some of the finest hand-turned pipes in England. Their creations are revered globally for utilizing exceptional, well-aged Algerian briar that displays pristine, high-grade grain structure. Finding a James Upshall of this massive magnitude is a true rarity for collectors who appreciate classical English proportions combined with an expansive, uninterrupted canvas of natural wood.

The stummel is sculpted into a majestic, towering straight Billiard that emphasizes a remarkably proud, tall bowl and a robust, gently oval-braced shank. The smooth, glossy finish is treated to a rich honey-and-chestnut contrast stain that highlights an extraordinary grain orientation. Sweeping flame grain shoots vertically up the forward face and flanks of the bowl, transitioning beautifully into an intricate maze of tight cross-grain and dense bird's-eye pattern around the rim and base. The lower side of the shank carries a perfectly crisp, cartouche-framed James Upshall factory stamp. The stout shank meets a high-grade black hand-cut vulcanite taper stem that thins out elegantly to a comfortable bit.

The precise physical measurements for this monumental British classic are:

Overall Length: 6.06 inches
Chamber Width: 0.90 inches
Chamber Depth: 1.95 inches

Boasting a massive 0.90-inch chamber width and an incredibly deep 1.95-inch depth, this chimney-like Billiard features an enormous internal capacity. This expansive architecture is an absolute paradise for long, reflective smoking sessions utilizing coarse ribbon cuts, dense broken flakes, or rich Virginia-Perique plugs. The extreme depth allows for a progressive, layered pack where the smoke naturally filters through the tobacco column, developing a massive crescendo of sweetness, complexity, and concentrated flavor as the bowl burns down. Supported by exceptionally thick briar walls and a generous length, the pipe manages heat flawlessly, ensuring a dry, exceptionally cool, and biteless smoke from top to bottom.