There is no question that Barry Jones, sole carver for Upshall and former top carver for Charatan in its pre-Dunhill days, knows how to cut a classical pipe. But since he, like other artisanal carvers, makes his pipes one by one, and entirely by hand, he rarely does so in the literal sense of the term. Here, for example, he has cut something that strikes one initially as a Dublin, and indeed, it has an excellent, purely classical Dublin bowl. However, it has a very long, quite un-Dublinesque tapered oval shank, finished with a nice vulcanite bit with slight fishtail for easy dentition.
The Greek briar shows first rate straight grain all around the bowl, which continues down the shank, and easily justifies the high "B" grade it received. In the hands of its new owner, Upshall has raised its prices quite extravagantly, so that a B grade can easily reach or exceed $1000. The pipe, while in superb condition in all regards, and compete with original leather sleeve, is priced at a level that's entirely commensurate with its value.