Bullmoose

The bullmoose: a heavy, squat cousin of the Rhodesian

The bullmoose as a chubby, thick-shanked pipe — and Asikyan 420/24, a smooth bullmoose with rusticated panels and a brass band.

Where it comes from

Bullmoose is a North American nickname, not a Saint-Claude stencil. It describes a squat, heavy bowl with a thick shank — a Rhodesian or author that has put on weight. Mid-century American catalogues and later artisan lists used it for that heft. The moose is the joke, the same way the bulldog is. There is no single year of invention.

Asikyan Bullmoose 420/24, Smooth, partially art rusticated
Bullmoose 420/24 · Smooth, partially art rusticated

The specification

Bowl: low, wide, usually with a hint of the Rhodesian’s taper. Shank: thick, often round. 420/24 is the plate: smooth briar, three rusticated panels set into the bowl, a brass ring at the bit. No millimetre card. The eye reads more mass than 401/24’s bullcap and less diamond than 381/23’s bulldog.

When to choose it

If you want a short pipe that feels substantial, and you like a brass band on the shank, this is the Asikyan shape to compare with the bullcap and the tomato. One serial, one plate, Hand Made.

From the cabinet

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