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Brands

James Upshall

Tier:

Affordable	Mid-grade	Elevated	High-grade	Top
			X

Country: England

Price: € 150 - 2000

Production method:

Factory	Machine-assisted	Freehand
	X

Notes: Former Charatan's manager Kenneth James Upshall Barnes founded this brand in 1978. The bowls are all hand-turned by master craftsman Barry Jones - who also once owned the firm, but is happier making pipes than running a business. Upshall is the only operative English maker with a reputation to rival Dunhill's.

Grades are: Tilshead (seconds), Sandblast, Bark, Dress, S, A, P, B, G, E, X and XX (ascending order).

Comments: Upshall has a better grain-for-bucks ratio than Dunhill and seems to make pipes more lovingly. Like Dunhill (but no other makes), it helps define the standard English shapes. In this scheme of things, Upshall is often the more modern, Dunhill the traditionalist pole.

Whether the business will survive its master craftsman remains to be seen. Carvers of Barry Jones' stature are becoming very rare in Britain.

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