Smooth Gondola with Orangewood (2024) Tobacco Pipe

Jared Coles cites one of his many influences with this Gondola design, a shape pioneered by Hiroyuki Tokutomi, a Japanese artisan that had a profound impact on Cole's shaping style. The Gondola is a shape Coles has been experimenting with since 2023, and while Tokutomi's iteration drew its look from the canal vessel, Coles renders his version in a more organic fashion. Almost Fish-like in profile, this piece boasts a forward-canted, gently curved bowl and a splayed, ridgeline-wrapped shank face. In addition to being a sure-sitter, this piece is also incredibly compact, measuring less than five inches long. Despite it's reserved footprint, this piece offers a wealth of substance, with a considerable muscularity evident throughout the stummel. A handsome accent of orangewood further elevates this dynamic composition, it warm hues matching the stummel's finish. Said finish is a silky smooth polish that highlights a gorgeous showing of birdseye and cross grain across the briar's surface.