A Closer Look at Peterson Deluxe System Pipes

Peterson Deluxe System is the series that represents the highest tier, in both quality and finish, within the Dublin maker Peterson's pipe family known as System. Named models grouped under the same roof, such as Darwin and Mark Twain, are also finished to the Deluxe standard. What sets the series apart from other System tiers is not a new mechanism but the same mechanism presented with more select materials and heavier metalwork.

The System Mechanism

The name System describes not a single part but three arrangements that complement one another. The first is the army mount, in which the mouthpiece fits not into the shank itself but over a fixed metal band; the mouthpiece can be removed without effort even while hot, and the shank's end is protected against cracking by the metal band's support. The second is the moisture reservoir beneath the bowl, sitting lower than the smoke channel: condensing liquid collects in this cavity. The third is the P-Lip mouthpiece, with its hole angled upward at the tip. According to the maker's and retailers' description, this hole spreads the smoke toward the palate rather than spraying it directly onto the tongue, making the draw drier and cooler; no independent study has measured this effect. On plain models such as the System Standard, the extension is turned from a single piece of vulcanite together with the mouthpiece; on upper-tier System pipes it is a separate metal part screwed into the mouthpiece. On older examples this part is brass, on later ones aluminium. Because its appearance resembles the condensation needles of other brands, it is often removed by mistake; in fact the extension is the working part of the mechanism, and removing it disables the reservoir. On Deluxe models, the section of the mouthpiece that seats into the shank is cut with space fitting, to allow for the wear that accumulates over the years.