Partially Sandblasted Bent Dublin (2022) Tobacco Pipe

This Li Zhesong Dublin departs from the firm-lined, more overtly flaring renditions we've received from the Chinese artisan in the past and takes on a more curvaceous and muscular disposition. It's an impressive interpretation, displaying a seamless and graceful flow from the rim all the to the lip button. The transition is almost Horn-like in its smooth curvature and makes the bowl's gradual flare even more visually striking in profile. I'm particularly fascinated by the sandblasted finish on this piece and how perfectly the grain follows the bowl's shaping. Remarkably tight, well-defined waves of ring grain surround the bowl's flanks, rising upward toward the ridgeline that sits beneath the softly inflated rim.

The smooth-polished rim is covered in stunning birdseye patterns and is dressed in a lustrous walnut contrast stain that pairs handsomely with the stummel's reddish brown hue. For a subtle accenting touch, small kisses of plateau grace the rim's surface, but are tastefully incorporated and don't distract from the stellar sandblast or the sublime shaping. A well-grained hardwood accent ring graces the shank end, matching well with the rim's coloration, while the stem's expansion disc mirrors the ring's shaping. It's a shape that's simultaneously robust and graceful, and will undoubtedly be a treasured addition to any collection.