Ashton

The Ashton pipe company was established in 1983 when Bill Ashton Taylor leveraged his experience from working at the Dunhill factory to create his own brand. Known for producing classic English shapes along with a few unique freehands, Bill elevated the art of sandblasting. His technique used extreme force to bring out the craggy elements of each block in exquisite detail. Ashton pipes come in various finishes, including smooth and heavily rusticated, and feature stems made from pre-formed vulcanite and acrylic, solid vulcanite or brindle rods, and hand-cut acrylic known as "Ashtonite."

Following Bill Taylor's passing in September 2009, Jimmy Craig took over Ashton pipe production, often marking his pipes with a "JC" stamp in addition to the standard markings. Jimmy has continued to honor the classic brand by hand-cutting all stems and tenons from solid vulcanite stock and employing the same renowned sandblasting technique. While Ashton pipes occasionally feature silver accents, they predominantly maintain classic shapes with minimal adornment, preserving the timeless appeal of the Ashton brand.