Smooth Cornucopia (Saint) (A18) (14) Tobacco Pipe

Otherwise known as the "horn of plenty," the cornucopia is a fixture commonly seen in traditional depictions of autumnal harvest as a symbol of abundance and nourishment. It's only fitting, then, that the first rendition we've encountered of the namesake Cornucopia shape from Jody Davis would be thoroughly saturated with pleasant attributes. First, there's no shortage of implied energy, with its actively forward-ebbing profile guided mightily by a pronounced, flaring Horn-like bowl. Said bowl tapers rapidly into a tight, curling tail-like shank that comes to rest on the bowl's left flank from the smoker's perspective, the broad surface of which acts as a mortise-face, much in the way of the classic Nautilus. And not to be overlooked (not that I imagine one would) is the grain. A gorgeous ring of birdseye is perfectly oriented about the softly inflated rim, bolstered by licks of tightly-defined flame, accentuated by one of Jody's brilliantly warm contrasts. Indeed, with such a plentiful bounty practically spilling out from the briar itself, this piece is well deserving of its rarefied Saint grade, one of the carver's highest.