Sandblasted Bent Apple with Fordite (303) Tobacco Pipe

This is a man-made shape, and quite a precise one at that. Even knowing that, however, there's something in its profile, especially when viewing the left, that reminds me of natural forms — namely the curling of conch cross-sections, or of snail shells. In that way, this particular pipe design is then especially well suited to the accent material Bill is using: Fordite. What is Fordite? Paint.

Specifically, it is the harvested results of overspray in old American automotive factories, which would build up and be baked and re-baked again and again, layer by layer, until it became thick enough that the factory workers had to remove it to keep production running smoothly. Many apparently took chunks of this "motor agate" home as curiosities, and from there it was eventually noticed by artists and jewelry makers, both for its unusual origins and for its resemblance to a naturally formed (if bizarrely colored) stone.

While "Fordite" has become the most popular term for the material, its origins actually range across different automobile makers, as well as time periods — though all Fordite comes from a painting process no longer in use. That which Bill is using at present originates from the Bowling Green, KY plant that has specialized in assembling Chevrolet Corvettes since 1981.

- Eric N. Squires