Ashton Love
- Thread starter swilly
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As I mentioned, Taylor era pipes were spotty on drilling, mine is from 1998. But, I've heard of no issues with the Jimmy Craig made, modern Ashtons. At least from several owners of Jimmy Craig pipes on another forum.
This is completely why I dig English classic shapes, very clean, awesome lines, and truthfully, there is an aesthetic to the Bill Ashton work that I think Jimmy Craig is just beginning to get. His new new stuff blew me away in Richmond. The dude is impressing everyone right now. Except for a few die hards I guess.
Ferndown = BOSS. Nuff said.
I think the quality control issues with the Bill Taylor Ashtons have really been overstated. If you listen to the scuttlebutt on these forums you would think that any pipe from the late 90's or early 2000's was certain to be a dog, and that is far from reality. What people forget is that these pipes were, and continue to be, far more handmade than many other lines, and there is bound to be some variation. While I would agree that it is fair to expect perfection in a 300-500 dollar pipe, the truth is that thing slip through. I have owned a number of high end pipes that were not perfect for one reason or another, and just off the top of my head I can think of both an Upshall and a Lane era Charatan (Special yes, a Charatan!) that were both grossly misdrilled.
I think with all pipes you really have to go piece by piece. Often, aside from mechanics, it really comes down to how a particular maker matches your smoking style and personal taste. For example, I really like Ashton's because they are generally bored with a more narrow tobacco chamber. I smoke a lot of flake type tobaccos that do much better in that type of bowl. I am not a fan of great big, deep, and wide bowls, like are found on some of the Savinelli Autograph's, for example. I have one that I swear you can fit an ounce of tobacco into. My Ashton ELX bulldog, however, even though physically a much larger pipe, probably only holds about 1/3 as much tobacco. This is not an issue of what is right or wrong, but personal taste. If I smoked more big, springy ribbon cut aromatics, I would probably like the giant cavern on the Sav much more.
As for AShtons, I do not mean this as a knock to Jimmy Craig in any way, but for me personally, I would much rather have a Taylor era Ashton than the later iteration. I also think that if you get an Ashton that maybe reflects some of what he purportedly went through personally during that time period, then maybe you actually having something more valuable and rarer than just another good pipe. I am excited that the company still exists though, and would not hesitate to buy a pipe that I really loved. There are just so many cool "first generation" Ashtons available right now, that will probably become harder to find and more expensive in another five or ten years.
I think with all pipes you really have to go piece by piece. Often, aside from mechanics, it really comes down to how a particular maker matches your smoking style and personal taste. For example, I really like Ashton's because they are generally bored with a more narrow tobacco chamber. I smoke a lot of flake type tobaccos that do much better in that type of bowl. I am not a fan of great big, deep, and wide bowls, like are found on some of the Savinelli Autograph's, for example. I have one that I swear you can fit an ounce of tobacco into. My Ashton ELX bulldog, however, even though physically a much larger pipe, probably only holds about 1/3 as much tobacco. This is not an issue of what is right or wrong, but personal taste. If I smoked more big, springy ribbon cut aromatics, I would probably like the giant cavern on the Sav much more.
As for AShtons, I do not mean this as a knock to Jimmy Craig in any way, but for me personally, I would much rather have a Taylor era Ashton than the later iteration. I also think that if you get an Ashton that maybe reflects some of what he purportedly went through personally during that time period, then maybe you actually having something more valuable and rarer than just another good pipe. I am excited that the company still exists though, and would not hesitate to buy a pipe that I really loved. There are just so many cool "first generation" Ashtons available right now, that will probably become harder to find and more expensive in another five or ten years.
One more issue that I think is really important when talking about Ashtons. Someone else mentioned the Taylor aesthetic. I think a big part of that, at least visually, was that they did not look like slick, perfect pipes. Even the Sovereigns still offer a real sense that they are a handmade product, at least to the extent that a modern pipe using power tools is "handmade". They have a soul and gravitas to them that some of the other pipe makers, who may offer technically more perfect carvings, just do not match. Also, I think it is clear that Ashtons are pipes first, and "art" second, if at all. How many times have we seen a pipe in a magazine or online that cost a fortune, and was super fancy and beautiful, but still looked like it would be hell to try to actually smoke? IF a pipe looses all functionality and just becomes a vehicle for funky shapes and exotic adornments, for me personally it has lost that necessary soul. Ashton pipes, maybe more than any other newer maker, got that, and sought to offer a really solid pipe and smoking experience, and let the form follow the function. I for one really like that, and it is clear that in that regard the new Ashtons are just as good as the old. It would have been a tragedy to continue to use the name but offer pipes that lost that rough and tumble English look.
Personally I still consider Bill Taylor Ashton pipes the finest smoking British pipe ever. I've never had a bad smoking Ashton and some of his early production pipes are highly sought after by collectors and smokers alike. If the prices seem steep, you can easily find great estate pieces in the $120.- $150. Range and sometimes less.
As for Jimmy Craig's pipes, I cannot comment as I don't have any at present but will add some to my rack in the future. What he had for sale in Chicago at the show was some amazing pipes and the finest of craftsmanship.
As for Jimmy Craig's pipes, I cannot comment as I don't have any at present but will add some to my rack in the future. What he had for sale in Chicago at the show was some amazing pipes and the finest of craftsmanship.
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