Sandblasted Tomato with Bakelite Tobacco Pipe

Characterized by its abbreviated length, chubby bowl, and pocket-friendly proportions, the Tomato is one of Micah Redmond's signature shapes and demonstrates the American carver's ability to continually reinterpret and reimagine a singular design. Each rendition is unique in its execution, with Redmond tweaking the bowl's breadth or slightly altering the relative length between the bowl and shank. Micah almost always pairs the stummel to a saddle stem to accentuate the bowl's plumpness, the negative space created by the saddle stem placing emphasis on the bowl. This particular piece is quite a noteworthy one since this is only the second time we've seen the American artisan utilize a tapered stem on one of his Tomato designs. The addition of the tapered mouthpiece here gives the design a sleek, streamlined look, while also maintaining the form's rotundness in a remarkably fluid manner. Redmond's then finished this example in a killer sandblast, with waves of ring grain cascading down the squat, broad bowl underneath the jet-black stain. It pairs exceptionally well with the swirling toffee tones of the bakelite stem and is much more subdued compared to the bright, vibrant colors Micah often favors. It's certainly a pipe with plenty of personality and character while expertly highlighting Redmond's creative vision.