My New Ashton

[galeon]

Hey guys. I've been paying on this badboy for about 2 months from pipes2smoke and it got here on Friday. I've had a few bowls in her and she smokes AMAZING! I'm glad I took the advice of some members here and started to look at Ashtons, Castellos, and Ferndowns instead of a Dunhill. WAY more bang for your buck than Dunhill for sure. The blast on this baby is amazing, too. 360 Ring Grain. Here are some pictures, since I know it's useless to describe it without them.

 

[batdemon]

Sweet looking :clap:

 

[ejames]

Nice Steve! I sorta get the impression you like dark sandblasts!

 

[galeon]

Thanks Ed! I hated sandblasts at first, but after I saw a couple in person, I really fell in love with the finish when it's done the right way. Next, I want a Castello Sea-Rock in a nice Medium-red Sandblast.
Dave, I'll try tomorrow morning. My phone is all I've got and it's low on battery at the moment and won't let me use the flash. I'll see if it's more complaint in the morning after a night's rest.

 

[ejames]

I just recognized....

 

[bobpnm]

Beautiful pipe! I like dark sandblasts too!

 

[lankfordjl]

Awesome pipe! Most of my briars are black sandblasts; I think the design is ideal.

 

[bdstansel]

Congrats on this acquisition! That IS one nice looking pipe and that grain is stunning.
Enjoy.

 

[topd]

Great looking pipe! Congrats on the new life long possession. Enjoy!

 

[gwtwdbss]

Great looking pipe. Ashton's are wonderful smoking pipes and I love their blast. Mine looks nearly black inside in low light and outside on a sunny day it is an amazing dark plum. Awesome purchase. Congrats!

 

[ssjones]

Is that a Taylor Ashton? (looks like it) If so, what year? That is a lovely combination of finish/stem.
Ah, I see Pipes2Smoke, so it must be a Craig pipe. I have two J. Craig Ashtons and love both dearly. (truth be told, both outsmoke my Taylor pipe)

 

[foggymountain]

Nice. Is there any taste from the black stain?

 

[cigrmaster]

Steve, I was eyeballing that pipe for a couple of weeks. It had **** next to it designating it as an incredible blast. If I had not committed myself to collecting American for a while, I would have been all over it. That is a gorgeous pipe in my opinion, perfect size, great black color,great blast, that is what a pipe is supposed to look like. Congrats a great score, I am glad she is smoking well for you.

 

[shawn]

Steve, you are putting together quite the collection. How do you store them, a few smaller racks, big wall rack, in a drawer?

 

[galeon]

Is that a Taylor Ashton? (looks like it) If so, what year? That is a lovely combination of finish/stem.
Ah, I see Pipes2Smoke, so it must be a Craig pipe. I have two J. Craig Ashtons and love both dearly. (truth be told, both outsmoke my Taylor pipe)

I assume it's a Craig Ashton since I just purchased it new from Pipes2smoke.com like you said. I'm not quite sure how to date Ashtons, though. Here's a picture of the stamping that I took last night. Sorry about it being blurry.

'XXX' 'ASHTON' (in script) over 'BRINDLE' 'HAND MADE' over 'IN ENGLAND' '212'
Cigrmaster, I actually couldn't believe that it was still up on Maxim's page when I got there. With that amazing blast, and the reasonable price for an Ashton, someone should have gobbled it up before I got there.

Nice. Is there any taste from the black stain?

None, actually. Just a slightly nutty taste from what I assume is an effect from their curing process. And my pictures don't quite do it justice. The stain is a... dark plum like someone previously said. In a lighted room it's black with a tiny amount of red it in. But outside, she's a beautiful dark red/plum color.

 

[lostandfound]

What exactly do you mean by more bang for your buck? Are Ashton's less expensive than Dunhill's?

 

[galeon]

What exactly do you mean by more bang for your buck? Are Ashton's less expensive than Dunhill's?

I'll show you two similar pipes, an Ashton, and a Dunhill. And then the prices.
Dunhill Shell Briar, Group 6 - $542

http://www.smokingpipes.com/pipes/new/dunhill/moreinfo.cfm?product_id=101230
Ashton Pebble Grain ELX - $440

http://www.smokingpipes.com/pipes/new/ashton/moreinfo.cfm?product_id=103181
$100 difference and that's just with basic stems, and without any additions to the shank, etc. If you want a G6 Dunhill Cumberland, look at paying upwards of $600. Ashton will stay around the $400 range.

 

[lostandfound]

Oh. I had something else to say but I don't really know what it was. Something about those who are willing to pay that much more for "the white spot". I have to say, from what I've gathered in my reading, that it seems fair. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Dunhills are perceived by many to be the... I don't know the word... most revered, respected, trusted, traditional pipes in recorded pipe smoking history.
I guess what I'm saying is that if you're looking for a high-end pipe, an Ashton is as good as a Dunhill, but if you're looking for a Dunhill only a Dunhill will do and price will be less important.

 

[galeon]

I'd say an Ashton, Castello, or Ferndown (among many others) are just as good as a Dunhill, but you'll pay for the pipe you're getting, not the white spot on the stem.

 

[rigmedic1]

Nice pipe! Congrats!