Partially Sandblasted Volcano (Kikuchi) (E) (014) (2019) Tobacco Pipe

Asami Kikuchi, who comprises the Tsuge Ikebana workshop alongside Kazuhiro Fukuda, has approached the Volcano shape several times in the past, yet this one is noticeably different. Previously, the Japanese artisan has rendered the form from a highly organic perspective, imbuing the shape with flowing lines and drawing much of the attention to the profile's curve and the bowl up front. In this piece, though, Kikuchi presents a much sleeker, dynamic form. Granted much of her work features a strong sense of momentum, but such a design element is all the more evident here.

The bowl is decidedly more squat, shifting the focus to the forward-urging flow from bit to heel. She's also highlighted the separation of bowl and underside — typically those two aspects are divided by a crisp ridgeline through the shank and lower bowl. In this rendition, Asami has fashioned an ever-tapering panel in place of the ridgeline, adding further dynamism and garnering even more attention thanks to her use of a dual finish. The majority of the stummel wears a low-profile, dark-stained sandblast, but the flanking facet is adorned in a warm contrast stain, finished smooth bring out finely striated cross grain. A well-balanced visual composition, the contrast stain is echoed by the smooth polished rim, and when viewed from above, the sleek, streamlined profile transforms into a broad section of shank, subtly fishtailing toward the shank end.