Smooth Bent Bulldog Tobacco Pipe

Kurt Balleby's pipes often seem to emphasize gesture, yet typically do so by way of a tight-knit, architectural shape. The resulting form tends to split the difference between sinuous, fluid linework and a sense of structured geometry, much like this robust bent Bulldog. The low placement of the beadline and forward-thrust, Brandy-esque bowl (characteristic of the Danish school) offer a perfect complement to the grain's natural pattern, while the paneling to the left and right of the diamond shank offer a means of bolstering the well-defined transition, with licks of flame visible beneath the base in profile. It's an interesting marriage of elegant geometry and organic form, resulting in one beautiful piece.

- Daniel Bumgardner