Sandblasted Tomato with Bakelite Tobacco Pipe

Pete Prevost bought his first pipe at the age of 18, soon thereafter discovering the larger realm of handmade pipes and purchasing a pipe kit which he spent two days shaping into something of his own, finding in this experience a passion for the art of pipe carving. This passion soon evolved into a career, as Prevost learned from some of the top American artisans early on in his development as a pipe maker, eventually moving to Nashville and further honing his craft, later giving up his career as a touring musician to focus solely on carving. His shaping style is marked by pipes that display a tightly-knit muscularity, creating pieces that are both compact and robust, often utilizing Bakelite as an accent or a stem material — both aspects seen in this Tomato.

I'm struck by just how squat this piece is, rising to under an inch and a half tall at the bowl, though possessed of a palpable plumpness thanks to its appreciable breadth compared to the height. The walls of this bowl are rife with supple curvature and sit atop a gently lifted heel, a forward cant immediately apparent thanks to the diagonally-oriented waistline which pushes briar out at the lower fore and upper aft. This forward canting bowl adds a lovely bit of dynamism to the pipe that keeps things interesting, enlivening an otherwise solid and stolid shape with a bit of momentum. The shank here ebbs out of a wide transition, leaving plenty of room to drape a digit, and takes on an ovoid shape, enhancing its muscularity from the smoker's perspective, though keeps a good bit of thickness in profile as well which complements that of the bowl. Paired to this shank is a very gently curved saddle stem crafted from swirling grey and white Bakelite, something that contrasts stunningly with the crisp tanblast of the bowl, making for a palette that keeps the eye locked on this piece. Despite the overt robustness of its components, this pipe is remarkably lightweight, enabling easy clenching and, along with its four and a half inch length, lending it plenty of potential for pocket carry.