Smooth Bent Apple with Walrus Tusk (Double Flash) Tobacco Pipe

Voluptuous and compact, this bent Apple embodies Roman Kovalev's usual shaping style, even though it's devoid of his conventional use of bamboo. The shape is simple and rather traditional, and Roman has pulled it off expertly. The underside curves parabolically and consistently into the bowl's fore, curling tighter and tighter until terminating at the rim. The result is a piece that sits firmly in the hand with perfect ergonomic comfort. Straight grain circumnavigates the bowl's entire waistline while birdseye bespeckles the heel, testifying to Roman's adeptness at reading the briar's inherent grain pattern. While the contrast stain and angel hair fine grain is breathtaking, what stands out particularly on this piece are the walrus tusk accents at the shank-end and stem base. Dr. Kovalev could have simply adorned the shank-end with a ring of the pale, pearlescent material — the piece would have been still been stunning — but he went a step further. An especially slender ring of walrus tusk wraps around the middle of the stem base too, creating a subtle but beautiful tier-like aesthetic. It's this type of attention to detail and amazing craftsmanship that sets Doctor's Pipes apart and makes them not only incredible smokers but works of art in and of themselves.