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AroEnglish

Guest
oops, forgot a recent acquisition, an estate purchase from smokingpipes.com, Sept 2023

"While much attention and devotion is paid to the great English marques and factories of yesteryear, it's easy to forget that there exists some fine British briars made by hand, like those by James Upshall. This Apple is a robust rendition of the classic shape, placing a plump, curvaceous bowl atop a rounded heel at the fore of a comparatively slim round shank an tapered vulcanite stem. Dressed in a rich chestnut finish, the stummel boasts fine flame grain all around the bowl."

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Yeah, that's not ugly... 😍 What are the specs?
 

Pipejan

Lurker
Jun 3, 2025
26
100
Stockholm, Sweden 🇸🇪
Magnificent! We haven't seen a B here in a long time. Where did you find this?
Thanks! I got it from Denmark, Havnens vin och tobakshus. A wine and tobacco shop. I treated myself as it was my birthday. I like the shape, it has a bit of Charatan and of Danish pipe makers mix. I know it must be after Ken Barnes left Upshall due too the FH and size stamping. But I'm hoping it was made before mr. Jones retired. Any thoughts?
 

craig61a

Lifer
Apr 29, 2017
6,621
58,885
Minnesota USA
Thanks! I got it from Denmark, Havnens vin och tobakshus. A wine and tobacco shop. I treated myself as it was my birthday. I like the shape, it has a bit of Charatan and of Danish pipe makers mix. I know it must be after Ken Barnes left Upshall due too the FH and size stamping. But I'm hoping it was made before mr. Jones retired. Any thoughts?
I guess it’s an early 90’s pipe. Well executed, so Barry Jones probably made it. At that time more people were beginning to accomplish the pipe making, and examples of craftsmanship began to suffer somewhat. Barry was running the business, so he was not as involved in the day to day manufacturing.

Grading was always a little subjective. It varied based on the quality of the briar and strength of production. As you move up through the grades the striations and fineness of the grain become straighter and thinner.

IMHO after 1995, the quality quickly went down, as the new owner capitalized on the name and turned out pieces that were graded higher than they would have previously.

I don’t actually recall when Barry retired. But by the late 1990’s the glory days were over for Tilshead.