Smooth Elephant's Foot Sitter with Bamboo (332) Tobacco Pipe

Originally a Bo Nordh shape, the Elephant's foot is a dynamic freehand design originally created as a way of showcasing different facets of a block's grain — namely presenting birdseye along its long, convex fore and cross grain running down the paneled planes to either flank of the bowl. Of course, today, the form is part and parcel to an artisan's Freehand lineup, with many makers and marque's putting their own unique spin on the shape. Micah Cryder has done just that here in this more architectural rendition; rather than keep the fore of the bowl one, continuous convex plane, Micah's added an additional panel to the lower half, lending the bowl a strong taper when viewed in profile. Aside from adding more dynamism to the overall silhouette, changing the axis from which the birdseye is viewed also affords the pattern an additional sense of depth, adding even more character to the stunning pattern. Together with its upward-flicking bamboo shank and its ability to sit steady on a flat surface, it really is quite the neat interpretation of the Bo Nordh archetype.