Smooth Natural Jatobá with Bamboo and Boxwood Tobacco Pipe

Among the most prominent carvers within the industry's younger generation of artisan pipe makers, Gustavo Cunha maintains an impressive résumé that has elevated his pedigree. From woodworking at a young age to studying furniture design to visiting Tom Eltang's workshop, Cunha has honed an expressive aesthetic style that's matched by his premium craftsmanship, and his marTelo pipes are beloved by collectors worldwide — whether representing his recognizable renditions of classic shapes or reflecting signature designs all his own.

The Jatobá is one of Cunha's most prominent signature shapes. Named after and inspired by the fruit pods of the jatobazeiro tree in Brazil, it's an homage to his homeland as well as an impressive pipe design. Highly organic, the briar is shaped with curves that appear naturally molded, as opposed to intricately shaped on a sanding wheel. This particular version reveals an especially tall bowl, with the fore side's consistent arch contrasted by the aft's bulbous, Acorn-like protrusion. The heel extends past the shank into a prominent heel spur that Cunha further accentuated with crisp ridgelines that dissipate upward into the bowl.

In cross-grain orientation, the briar exhibits remarkable grain, echoing that of the iconic Elephant's Foot — cross grain along the sides, with birdseye covering the fore — only forgoing that design's architectural bent for the Jatobá inherently organic and curvaceous essence. Continuing that motif, this piece extends with long stretch of bamboo, capped with boxwood, before leading into the hand-cut stem of vulcanite.