Lovat

Lovat is a classic pipe shape formed by the union of a long, round-shanked neck with a short saddle stem. It belongs to the four-member group known as the Canadian family, and within that group it is considered the member whose silhouette sits furthest from the Canadian itself. Like the whole family, the bowl keeps Billiard proportions; what actually defines the shape is not the bowl but the ratio between the shank and the mouthpiece.

Distinguishing Lines

The four members of the Canadian family are distinguished by two criteria: the shank's cross-section and the type of mouthpiece. The Lovat is the member that pairs a round shank with a saddle stem. The Canadian, with its oval shank and tapered stem, and the Liverpool, with its round shank but tapered stem, both differ from the Lovat on this point; the Lumberman shares the saddle stem but has an oval shank. A saddle stem is one that forms a thick shoulder where it meets the shank and then tapers into a flat, straight tongue; kept short, it gives the pipe a compact, almost clipped look. For the naming of these parts, see the entry on pipe anatomy.

Compared with the rest of the family, the Lovat's shank is generally more restrained. Some classification attempts give a guideline that the shank length shouldn't exceed twice the bowl's height; this isn't a standard everyone follows, just an approximation used to describe the shape. That's why, even though the Lovat is grouped under long-shanked pipes, it's regarded as the most compact-silhouetted member of the group. As the shank lengthens, the smoke touches more briar surface before it reaches the mouth; the shape's reputation among enthusiasts for a cool, dry smoke rests on this observation.

Name and History

The shape's name is tied to the title of Lovat used in Scottish nobility, though sources disagree on which Lord Lovat it's attributed to. At least three different names circulate in pipe literature: some sources point to the 14th Lord Lovat, Simon Joseph Fraser; others cite a different Fraser with different life dates; still others mention an entirely different Lovat Fraser. Since the names and dates don't agree with one another, this connection should be read as an established narrative rather than a documented fact.

The shape's catalogue history is on firmer ground. According to accounts, one of the first makers to use this name in this form was the English firm BBB; the Lovat is recorded as having appeared in BBB catalogues in four separate sizes before the First World War. Over the course of the twentieth century, the shape became a fixture in English and Irish makers' catalogues. In Dunhill's numbering system, the code denoting a Lovat is 111; in the Shell Briar line's 41111 stamp, for example, the leading 4 indicates the size group, the second digit marks the saddle stem, and the trailing 111 denotes the shape itself. It remains a regular presence today in the catalogues of both established mass-production brands and individual makers working alone.