Smooth Acorn with Bamboo (183) Tobacco Pipe

Micah "Yeti" Cryder's aesthetic is one of quintessential American artistry, executed in a playful, adventurous way. His logo, after all, depicts a Yeti in a top hat, smoking a pipe. This characterization is a perfect summation of the uniquely lighthearted approach taken by Micah to the world of pipe making. And yet, given his age and experience level, it seems almost like that approach wouldn't have nearly as powerful an impact if not for the fact that he is so damn good at what he does.

This is the first bamboo-adorned piece we have seen from Micah, and it is truly a wonder to behold. The trio of knuckles about the shank operate in a pleasant, acutely balanced rhythm from stem to transition, the shaping of which sports a well-pinched definition, proportionally trim compared to the towering flanks of flame-grain-clad briar to which it is connected. The grain pattern about the cheeks lends the bowl structure a sense of dramatic lift, resulting in the illusion of being 'halted' by the undulating, plateau-circled rim surface. The heel sports a subtle, but crisp spur of sorts, surrounded by a sharp patch of birdseye about the bowl's underside. Beautiful work.

— Daniel Bumgardner