Smooth Bent Dublin (Fukuda) (M) (219) (2017) Tobacco Pipe

Kazuhiro Fukuda is a master Japanese artisan and former student of Danish legend Sixten Ivarsson, now possessing over 50 years of experience in pipe making and leading the Tsuge Ikebana workshop. His talent and keen eye for the smallest of details are quite evident in this bent Dublin, with its palm-filling volume and narrow flare perfectly shaped to follow stunning flame grain. This obedience to nature gives the pipe a subtle asymmetry and distinct sense of organicism, both delivered with a precision that only a master can achieve.

The broad rim displays a dense field of plateau, the grain undulating slightly before falling off crisp cliffs to sweep down towards the well-rounded heel. One of the features I especially appreciate here is the crispness of the upper transition, with the bowl's aft aspect tucking quite neatly into the top of the shank, leaving room for thumb draping and clean lines of negative space. Full-bodied in hand, the bowl transitions seamlessly on the flanks, joining the muscular shank as if by magic.

The stem base flares almost imperceptibly, but certainly intentionally from the shank end, expanding to a thin accent ring before the vulcanite tapers elegantly as it bends slightly to the lip button. Dressed in a light blond stain to let the grain do all the talking, this is piece rife with understated beauty and will be a great find for anyone who appreciates Fukuda's work.