Partially Sandblasted Bent Dublin with Boxwood Tobacco Pipe

Though the hard lines and sharp angles on this bent Dublin are perhaps the first characteristics to catch the eye, Li Zhesong's use of subtle curve does wonders to balance out the composition as a whole and make for a more active, dynamic aesthetic. The way he's contrasted the hard taper of the fore and aft of the bowl, the sharp angle of the spur, and the firmer lines of the lenticular shank with a smooth-polished, domed rim and just the slightest bit of upward lift to the end of the shank is not only beautiful, but it actually works to soften that aforementioned angularity and sharpness — lending balance to the composition. He's continued that balance in his handling of the grain as well, keeping the rim smooth to showcase its large whorls of birdseye, while lending the rest of the stummel a jet-black sandblast, stacked with rippling rings along the flanks, fore, and aft of the bowl.

- Andrew Wike