Smooth Brandy with Polymerized Stone Tobacco Pipe

Though Roman Kovalev has shown his chops time and time again producing wild, gestural freehands, there's just something so beautiful about his classic interpretations. Take this straight Brandy, for example. It's no complex form, to be sure, but that doesn't mean it's without detail. Just glance at the cheeking of the bowl to either side of the transition — its sheer breadth accentuated by the slow taper to the rim. Notice the interplay between the soft curves of the flanks and the arrow-straight lines of the shank. Observe the delicate balance of proportions, stepping from bowl, to shank, to stem. These are the details that make Roman's classical work so unique and stunning. And that's just concerning shaping. Once you consider the degree of contrast to his smooth finishes, and his innovative polymerizing process used to create one of a kind accents, it becomes clear: there's just nothing like a Doctor's pipe.

- Andrew Wike