Sandblasted Comet (1495) Tobacco Pipe

If you've been following Jeff Gracik over the years or are at least familiar with his work, you've probably come across the American carver's Speedster design. It's a unique, Freehand shape, characterized by a Tomato-like bowl whose aft section is wrapped by a crisp ridgeline with the back of the bowl seemingly scooped out while the fore is left plump and rounded. It imbues the profile with a swift dynamism, thus appropriately earning the moniker of "Speedster." This Comet here is a variation on that iconic J. Alan shape.

Still forward-urging of momentum and scooped of transition, the bowl of this Comet maintains the Speedster's defining ridgeline, traveling the shank flanks and curling up over the transition. Where this piece differs is in the shank end. Instead of rounding it into the stem base, Jeff has left a sharp, backward flicking array of natural plateau. As the name suggests, it resembles a comet's fiery tail, seeming to propel the shape forward through negative space. Fitting with Gracik's penchant for the Danish school, this stunning piece is dressed in a dark, low-profile sandblast, with the rim left smooth and Bruyere-stained to accent. A highly unique piece, it's a testament to Jeff's skillful creativity to be able to riff off of his own shape, fitting neatly in hand and rendered in a conveniently compact size overall.