Lá na nAithreacha sona duit!
Happy Father’s Day!
SPECIAL BULLETIN: “This year’s Carroll of Carrollton pipe will be available beginning at 6:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, June 20th,” Andy Wike, VP of Marketing at Laudisi, told me. It will be available in the five finishes seen here, from the top: Heritage, Ebony, PSB, Sandblast and Smooth. Sykes Wilford told me that “after two years of doing 245 and then 246 and having not nearly enough, we did 247 sandblasted and 247 smooth this year, for a total of 494,” adding that “It is just for the US market, open to all Peterson stockists,” so that Pete Geeks across the pond shouldn’t wait to see a European drop.
As Truett Smith wrote two years ago, the Carroll of Carrollton “commemorates the intertwined histories of the United States and Ireland, drawing inspiration from the only Irish-Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence: Charles Carroll of Carrollton. Born in Maryland to Irish immigrants, Carroll gained prominence in the Colonies during the mid-1770s not only as a landowner and tobacco planter but also as a revolutionary, distinguishing himself as a political figure and promoting the Revolution’s cause by writing newspaper articles, giving speeches, and even participating in the Annapolis Tea Party — Maryland’s lesser-known version of Boston’s famed dissension. Carroll was subsequently elected as a delegate to the Continental Congress and distinguished himself as the Declaration’s only Irish-Catholic signatory.”
Charles Carroll (1737-1832), A Founding Father of the United States
The series is limited to the number of years between the Declaration’s signing in 1776 and the year’s release, which for 2023 is 247 inclusive of all finishes. “The shape,” as Truett writes, “hearkens to the style of pipes smoked in Carrol’s era in a demi-Churchwarden resembling the clay tavern pipes enjoyed before the use of briar. A sterling silver accent band solidifies the pipe’s Peterson identity.”
Like its predecessors in 2021 (see Post #234) and 2022 (see Post #291), the 2023 Carroll of Carrollton features a comfortable fishtail bit and is actually light enough to clench when need be. The chamber size is about the same as the previous years (see below for measurements), making it great for either the Holmesian “three-pipe-problem” (and I can see Jeremy Brett clenching one with his knees drawn up into his easy chair) or for those nights when a good flake is required and time may be short.
The Acorn is a new shape to the catalog, acquired for the recent issue of the Junior Rusticated Line (see Post #334) and is a pip, as you can see.
The blast sample I received is also gorgeous beyond belief for such a small bowl, although I wondered whether this might have been a Belgique that fell into the mix by mistake—regardless, it’s incredible.
The mortise is 17.mm deep and the tenon 14.5 mm long, which is fairly amazing in a factory-made pipe, and in combination with the chamfering, this looks like it will give a cool, dry smoke. The stamping is well-composed, as always with K&P:
For anyone with an interest in the demi-Churchwarden or flake pipes or Irish-American Colonial history, Tuesday’s the time! I don’t know how many SPC will list on their site, but not even close to the entire 247, as these are available throughout the US market–and maybe Europe? I don’t know.
The CARROLL OF CARROLLTON Series So Far
2023 / Measurements & Other Details (Smooth)
Length: 6.88 in./166.37 mm.
Weight: 0.90 oz./ 26 g.
Bowl Height: 1.52 in./38.6 mm.
Chamber Depth: 1.20 in./30.7 mm.
Chamber Diameter: 0.73 in./18.6 mm.
Outside Diameter: 1.28 in./32.6 mm.
Stem: Vulcanite Fishtail
Filter: None
Shape: Acorn
2022 / Measurements & Other Details (Smooth)
Length: 6.55 in./ 174.75 mm
Weight: 1.10 oz./31.18 g.
Bowl Height: 1.85 in./46.99 mm.
Chamber Depth: 1.52 in./38.61 mm.
Chamber Diameter: 0.75 in./19.05 mm.
Outside Diameter: 1.11 in./28.19 mm.
Stem: Vulcanite Fishtail
Filter: None
Shape: 124 Bent Dublin
2021 / Measurements & Other Details (Smooth)
Length: 6.25 in./158.75 mm.
Weight: 0.70 oz./19.84 g.
Bowl Height: 1.37 in./34.80 mm.
Chamber Depth: 1.12 in./28.45 mm.
Chamber Diameter: 0.62 in./15.75 mm.
Outside Diameter: 1.05 in./26.67 mm.
Stem: Vulcanite Fishtail
Filter: None
Shape: Belgique
Many thanks to Andy Wike, Josh Burgess, Sykes Wilford, K&P and Laudisi
for all their help with media and information VITAL
to the Pete Geek community!
Just beautiful! ???? Half churchwarden style…totally elegant…perfect for Christmas?? I hope a filtered version will come along too ?
I think the problem with the C of C for filtered options will be that the stem is so very narrow. I don’t think even a 6mm adaptation could be made! But who knows? Maybe they’ll get that resolved for future releases.
I agree these are gorgeous! Filtered? SPeu has ‘the Bard’ with 9mm filter. Similar half CW style, perhaps not as elegant in the rusticated, but they DO have smooth 03 shapes. Mine is a rusticated shape 69 light tan, my only non p-lip Pete.
This is a great series! Unfortunately, I don’t smoke them often enough – especially since I got a lot more Twains 🙂
Almost soon for the POTY and PSOI pipes?
Bob, keep us updated on the PSOI, will you? The K&P POY will be out (I think) in August. Worth the wait!! Our will be out [garbled transmission].
Lol, we can’t have them all released at the same time!
Nope, that won’t happen. 🙂 I think you’ll like the PPN 2023!
Being relatively new to Petersonm pipes, even though I have bought 5 Peterson pipes. One of them the C of C Heritage which I think is absolutely beautiful, so much so I am afraid to smoke it, I am considering buying another one just for smoking. What does the acronyms POTY and PSOI mean?
Hey Skip! Smoke that pipe–or as my old friend used to say, “it’s just wood and vulcanite until you smoke it.” POTY means “Pipe of the Year,” now usually just called the “POY” or “Pipe of the Year.” “PSOI” is a Facebook group you can join– “Pipe Smokers of Ireland.” They do a Peterson POY. Peterson’s own POY will be out in August, I think. The Pete Geek “PPN” POY will be out in late October.
Thanks for the info!
I have the 2022 version and it’s great for a short smoke (for one pipe problems). As an American, both Irish and Catholic, how can I refuse?
Eggzackly!!
What a lovely looking pipe. I like the soft lines. It looks like a pipe one could sit and contemplate with.
And the bowl is just the size for a good quiet “sit”!
Wow – I’m a day behind, not sure how that happened?
Really interesting bit of history here, I was not aware of this American – Irish connection and the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Now about the pipes in this collection. They certainly are nice, but not sure if this is my cuppa, if you know what I mean. If I was going to pick my favorite of the lot, I tend to gravitate to the shape for last year, the #124 Bent Dublin. Mark, thanks for the history lesson!
I jumped in early and grabbed a smooth. I looked through quite a few of them and, unfortunately, I didn’t see any with particularly nice grain or birds eye, but at this price point, I am unsurprised. I’m a big fan of the PSB finish, but something about these daintier renditions feels old school, so smooth was my preference.
I couldn´t resist, grabbed one each, smooth and PSB.
I’m enjoying my first smoke with my 2023 Carroll of Carrollton loaded with Jubilaeums Flake. It’s smoking well. The stummel is handsome, with the classic dark stain emphasizing the excellent Peterson shaping. The grain is, as expected in a pipe in this price range, unremarkable, but has no obvious fills. It’s a handsome pipe. It is smoking well. My one gripe is the lack of tapering in the last 1-1/2 inches of the stem as it approaches the button, particularly for a pipe which is otherwise quite delicate. I’m afraid I’ve been spoiled by Nate King’s, Scottie Piersel’s and Bruno… Read more »
I pick up one. I really like the looks of the smooth heritage model.
I jumped on the Carroll of Carrollton train in 2022, bought the 2023, and just this week was able to find a 2021 at The Briar and the Burley in Bloomington, Indiana, completing my collection. BTW, if you’re looking for a 2021 black sandblasted Carroll of Carrollton, there’s one left at the Briar and the Burley! Comparing the three side-by-side is interesting. Peterson seemed to pay a lot more attention to the shaping of the stem in this latest release. The 2023’s stem has dramatically different profile than the 2021 and 2022 pipes when viewed from above. It is elegantly… Read more »