Barling » Barling: Pot

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Barling c. 1950 Saddle Pot EXEXEL Shape 319

As I've remarked elsewhere, Mr. Barling had very definite ideas about what constituted a great smoking pipe. Time has shown that his judgement was largely correct. Among his distinctive preferences was the pot shape. Other British makers made pots, of course, including Dunhill, Sasieni, Comoy, and GBD. However, none were quite so "pottish" as Barling. The reason, I believe, is that this shape provides a very large combustion surface for the tobacco. While this is counter-productive for Virginias, which tend to burn rather hot because of their high sugar content, it works very well indeed for English mixtures, whose full flavor and subtlety is thereby released.

Here is a classic example, cut across the grain of the old, air-cured Algerian briar upon which Mr. Barling insisted to show nice birdseye on one side and mixed grain on the other. It has generous tobacco capacity, a chamfered inner rim, and an excellent handcut saddle bit with intact stamping. It's only fault is that the nomenclature is rather weak, and requires a glass to read, though it is otherwise intact. Pricing has been adjusted accordingly, making this pipe a good value in a classic Barling.