Smooth Billiard (396) Tobacco Pipe

Tall enough to be a Billiard, yet shorter in stature than many of Bill's other renditions of the shape, this piece feels almost Pot-like in its proportions. There's certainly some depth and breadth to its chamber, while the actual shape itself hews more closely to the American archetype, with less lift to its heel than one might expect for a carver known for his Danish influence. The result is quite fetching, though, a muscular take on the shape, with broad flanks perfect for displaying some dense, well-patterned birdseye, all dressed in a particularly vivid version of Bill's smoky contrast.