Sandblasted Bent Brandy with Bamboo (Double Flash) Tobacco Pipe

When bamboo was first introduced to pipe making, it was used as a means of saving briar during shortages, fashioning the shank from several bamboo knuckles so as to have enough briar to shape more bowls. Since then, however, the use of the organic material has evolved, now being utilized as a component of pipes' overall design, rather than a mere utilitarian element. Sixten Ivarsson is credited as the first to incorporate bamboo into pipe design, but Roman Kovalev is known for preferring wildly shaped sections of bamboo — pieces that before would have been discarded for their eccentric, unruly form and the difficulty they pose in regards to craftsmanship.

Roman is an expert, however, deftly drilling curving bamboo and seamlessly pairing it to briar for a consistent and coherent design composition. In this bent Brandy from Doctor's Pipes, Kovalev contrasts a voluptuous bowl against an extra-slender shank and stem combination. Those elements are united, though, in their curves — the bowl bulbous and tapered toward the rim, and the bamboo's dramatic upward flick complemented by the stem's sharp downward turn. The separation between bowl and shank is drastic, but this piece remains conveniently compact without sacrificing on palm-filling substance or chamber depth. When viewed from the smoker's perspective, the bamboo displays a unique S-curve, mimicking that of the profile and accentuating its wildly organic appeal. A veritable chin-rester, the bowl is dressed in a stunning sandblast, the ring grain having earned Doctor's second-highest, Double Flash grade, and the disparate proportions and overall profile can't help but remind me of a goose neck kettle — said theme furthered once tobacco is set to flame within, just like boiling water.