Partially Sandblasted Tomato with Bakelite and Juma Tobacco Pipe

This Tomato from Sam Adebayo testifies to an aspect of the American carver's work that has come to define his portfolio: the ability to seamlessly fuse classic artisan shaping with modern touches of creativity and color. Forward-sweeping and low-slung of bowl, this piece is one muscular pipe. Though extremely squat, the bowl is incredibly broad and, thus, thick-walled — so much so that I can't completely wrap thumb and forefinger around the waistline. Practically, it offers plenty of insulation for the chamber within; while aesthetically, it presents more surface area on which to display the inflated rim's crown of plateau, intermingled with portions of light-stained, smooth polished briar. The bowl's boldness is kept consistent through the shank and saddle stem behind, keeping the shape's overall proportions well-balanced and complementary. Last but certainly not least, the dual-material stem adds a unique, modern dose of color: creamy white juma banded with blood-red bakelite at the base to shine brightly against the dark, ring grain-adorned sandblast.