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Matchpipe Handcrafted Unique wood tobacco Pipe Billiard style with Deep Bowl.
The most classical of the classic shapes, nearly every pipe maker makes a Billiard. The bowl is nearly cylindrical with a rounded bottom, or heel. The bore, or tobacco chamber, is also cylindrical. The shank is round and approximately the same length as the height of the bowl and the stem is usually tapered. The bowl tilts away from the shank by a couple of degrees.

One feature I look for in a Billiard is a flat rim. Think about it: if the bore or tobacco chamber is cylindrical and the outside of the bowl is cylindrical, the rim should be equal to the thickness of the bowl sides all the way down. I expect a small “belly” to the bowl, giving you a little extra wall thickness where you need it. Some makers taper the top of the bowl to meet the bore or round off the lip of the bowl. While there is nothing wrong with this, it doesn’t really meet the classical specs. As long as it doesn’t make the bowl look too much like an Apple or an Egg, I would still consider it a Billiard, at least in inspiration.