Smooth Cherrywood (FH) (547) Tobacco Pipe

In addition to being an accomplished musician and a piano tuner, Scott Thile is also a talented pipe maker, and a self-taught one at that. Thile has had a deep love and admiration for pipes since the age of 16, when he bought his very first piece. His admiration for pipes is evident in each of his designs. This Cherrywood showcases Thile's distinctive style, which, according to him, is inspired by "The Danish neoclassics as interpreted by the North American greats."

A muscular design, this Cherrywood pairs a tall, thick-walled bowl to an upturned shank and a demurely curved saddle stem. Said bowl stands atop a flat, sure-sitting heel and flares upward to a broad, plateau-crowned rim. As it flares, the bowl takes on a forward cant that imbues the totality of the composition with an active and dynamic appearance that immediately captures the eye. The sinuously bent shank and stem provide gesture to the composition and promote a comfortable smoking posture from which to enjoy the bowl's healthy tobacco chamber. In addition to being versatile and practical, this piece is also quite stylish, dressed as it is in a warm smooth finish that highlights brilliant grain across the bowl's flanks.