Sandblasted Billiard with Hammered Silver (1607) Tobacco Pipe

A tall, straight Billiard from Jeff Gracik of J. Alan pipes, this upright piece offers a tapering bowl in an almost Volcano aesthetic rising to a sandblasted, rounded rim, all in a hue of deep, muted maroon. Jeff's sandblasting is particularly diverting in this example, its texture quite responsive under the finger pads, providing tactile feedback and easy grip regardless of holding technique. Something relatively new for J. Alan is the hammered sterling silver band, which proffers some stunning visual texture. Jeff has done only a handful of pieces with this new silver technique, and it is particularly stunning against a sandblasted surface. The saddle stem is of course short, and in this case, almost abrupt, which I find particularly appropriate for this shape. With a broad heel and thick shank, the proportions are excellent and as far as Billiard interpretations go, this is a profoundly impressive rendition.