Smooth Bent Egg with Bakelite Tobacco Pipe

Quite a playful, compact take on the Ivarssonian teardrop theme, this bent Egg does indeed feature that signature Danish style of teardrop ridge flowing along the left flank of the bowl, yet Micah has modernized the form considerably here. The aforementioned ridge is far more softened than you'd typically expect to see, dissolving more readily into the plump curvature of the bowl. Likewise, the bowl itself is much plumper, with a higher-set waistline and a more dramatic forward cant, both of which tie in beautifully with the stouter style of transition and shank — making for a decidedly powerful, muscular aesthetic in profile.

Fitting to such a chubby, playful style, Micah had some fun with the overall palette here as well. The warm walnut contrast stain might seem reserved, but Micah did take extra steps here to fashion his accent stem from an antique bakelite poker chip. It's a theme that we've been seeing more and more of from American artisans these days, nodding to a sense of nostalgia by incorporating old, non-pipe related Americana into modern pipe designs. Beautiful work.

- Andrew Wike