Sandblasted Bent Dublin Sitter with Cocobolo (Friar) (A22) (19) Tobacco Pipe

Jody Davis is among the most renowned American artisans active today, and certainly one of the most well-respected, but he is not only that, he is also a member of Grammy-nominated rock group Newsboys, who have a cumulative four gold records under their belt. Davis is a man of many talents, that goes without saying, but his journey as an artisan began as many do: with a passion for pipes and smoking. After Davis made his first piece and showed it to a friend and colleague, he was put into contact with legendary Danish artisan Jess Chonowitsch who showed him some of his methods and shared his sources for materials. At this point Jody began to immerse himself in carving, dedicating himself to the craft and later working with J.T. Cooke in Cooke's Vermont workshop, all of which contributed to his incredible depth of knowledge and refined his eye for detail.

This bent Dublin is a striking, Nosewamer-length piece from the American artisan which embodies shaping cues from a number of different profiles, namely the Cherrywood and the Fish. This pipe's reminiscence to the former is immediate, thanks to the central nature of the heel and its sure-sitting functionality, as well as the jaunty forward cant of the bowl. The similarity to the Fish, however, is less apparent until taking in the right flank: The shank here has been shaped in a broad teardrop outline that tapers through to the right, creating a crisp ridgeline that flows through to the flattened underside. The bowl itself is a tall, flaring, and rather traditional take on the Dublin, and it comes to a high waist which additionally marks the start of a softly domed rim, this bit of curvature tempering the muscularity of the firm shaping behind it. The stem here is quite interesting, taking on a standard saddle-style bit that curves gently out of a broad base that's been adorned by a large portion of cocobolo wood, the shank's ridgeline continuing through the accent and perfectly bifurcating its dual colors. Dressing the stummel is a crisp sandblast and light, almost natural stain which unveils a rippling cascade of ring grain flowing down the stummel, its hues sure to darken with bespoke patina as it is smoked.