Rusticated Bent Apple with Boxwood Tobacco Pipe

With a resume that includes an apprenticeship with none other than Tom Eltang, you can expect Mike Sebastian Bay to hold a reverence for the Danish tradition, but not without a willingness to elevate the stylistic school in his own distinct way. Such was his approach with this bent Apple shape, as its overt sense of compactness and charming combination of texture and color really lend the form an affable disposition, certainly aided in part by Bay's own take on Tom's iconic rustication style. Tom gave Michael his blessing to employ the signature treatment in his own work, pairing it here to a smooth, gently rounded rim and a boxwood accent for visually stimulating contrast. The plump, forward-urging bowl is nicely balanced by the stem's gentle downturn, and the rusticated finish will be fascinating to study each time this piece is smoked.