Smooth Freehand Bent Dublin (Cardinal) (A17) (21) Tobacco Pipe

The photos do not tell the story of this pipe; no photos could. Images can't convey the subtlety of the line work here, by which I mean the crisp edges that come into play and add remarkable dimension to this pipe. The underside is two flattened areas with a ridge running up the center and disappearing so gradually that it's difficult to feel where it smooths to a single surface. The lines of the outside of these planes are crisp and perfect. One non-essential swipe of the sandpaper could have ruined any of these lines, but Jody accomplishes it with apparent ease. Another ridge runs along the upper left of the shank and likewise disappears just at the rim line. And the rim itself displays yet more line work, with the right side raised slightly higher and accommodating an additional surface ridge, both ends of which disappear neatly into the overall shape. And we've not even started talking about grain, which is straight, parallel, fine as baby hair and consistently runs around the entire circumference of the bowl. Jody Davis is among the most accomplished pipe makers worldwide, and this piece showcases his reputation.