Smooth Volcano (Snail) Tobacco Pipe

The Volcano is not a shape we frequently see from Tom Eltang, nor is it one that the carver has a readily definable "formula" for shaping, really. That being said, this stunning number just exudes an Eltang-ishness. To my eye, it's the result of a marriage of inherently fluid shaping with eager, alert gesture and streamlined, tight line work, serving to lend a powerful serving of implied energy to the traditionally stolid shape.

With its compressed style of shank and saddle stem, it seems to take cues from Tom's take on the Eskimo, a disposition especially noticeable when viewed from above. It's thoroughly packed with stunning grain, too, as licks of feathery, electric strands dance on all flanks, crisply framed by the carver's expert shaping. As a Snail grade, you can also expect a full underside's worth of beyond impressive whorls of birdseye, altogether making for a smoker that you might have trouble setting down.