Smooth Tomato with Bamboo Tobacco Pipe

After picking up pipe smoking in college, Trey Rice faced a dilemma — he wanted to smoke artisan pipes but could not afford them. So, Rice decided to take matters into his own hands by making artisan pipes himself. Now a polished pipe maker, Rice crafts pipes outside of Fort Worth, Texas, primarily drawing on Danish, English, and American pipe making traditions for inspiration. Rice makes many classic, recognizable shapes and accents them with a variety of materials such as bamboo, boxwood, horn, and his own silverwork.

This Tomato by Trey Rice possesses a plump and stout bowl that bulges at a low-set waistline, creating a firm in-hand feel. A subtle transition leads into a stubby briar shank that quickly gives way to a thick section of bamboo, where three broad knuckles of bamboo complement the bowl's robust waistline. A ring of jet-black vulcanite adorns the shank end, and the metal tenon on the saddle stem fits snugly within the pressure-style mortise. The subtle recurve on the shank and stem offers a contrasting complement to the overt curvaceousness of the bowl, creating a balanced composition.

Moreover, the shank and stem develop a visual contrast with the bowl as well. The blonde hues of the bamboo and the jet-black vulcanite oppose each other much like the contrast stain on the bowl. Thick strands of brightly-colored flame grain descend downwards from the rim along with wiry, dark streaks. Similarly, on the underside and rim, the black cores of birdseye freckles are encircled by swirling, warm colors. Once again, Rice uses contrast to achieve compositional balance.