Partially Sandblasted Freehand with Mammoth Tobacco Pipe

It is always a pleasure to receive pieces from Konstantin Shekita, as the Ukrainian artisan creates some of the most artistically creative pipes I have seen. Now having made pipes for nearly 25 years, Konstantin continues to push his personal boundaries as well as those of the craft, with this undulating Volcano-esque Freehand an excellent example of his creativity.

He has chosen a tightly radiating block of briar here, and has shaped it perfectly to follow the grain, with striations of vertical grain falling like dense streaks of lava not just on the plump bowl, but on the flanks of the extra-tall shank as well. The transition is high, and the top of the shank narrow and upward-curling very much like the ridge of a mountain range, discretely flaring in thickness as it rises. Both the bowl and shank are slightly plump, swelling outward before swooping into a concave aspect at the base, then turning outward to a crisp ridgeline. The underside, then, is an essentially flat panel, curling from heel to shank end with a small smooth section and the rest resplendent with craggy plateau.

The vertical striations of grain are made quite striking by an orange and black contrast stain, while the growth rings are brought to life by a medium-depth sandblast, again evoking an aesthetic of waves of lava running down the sides. An accent of pale mammoth provides contrast at the shank end as well as a visual break before the abbreviated, well bent saddle stem of black vulcanite. An excellent marriage of smooth surfaces and crisp linework, this stunning piece sits stably, and will likely do so in the very center of a discerning smoker's collection.