Relief Contrast Author Tobacco Pipe

In her years of artisan pipe making, Scottie Piersel has carved out a signature aesthetic involving sleek, pencil-shank designs — immediately recognized by collectors and fellow pipe makers alike. It's rare, then, to see a more muscular, non-pencil-shank design from the American carver; however, when drifting from her signature aesthetic, this Author design is one of Piersel's favorites to turn to.

Despite being a classic pipe shape — seen on virtually every shape chart from major French and English factories — the Author is a rarer shape in today's pipe making, making Piersel's renditions especially collectible and appreciated. Her shaping stays true to the characteristic form's round bowl, stout shank, and ample bend, but she makes it her own here through the finish and color palette: Dressed in her relief contrast finish, this piece bears a sandblasted texture that's been smoothed down in areas for further color and tactile contrast, and it's fitted to one of her typically colorful stems — this one showcasing brindled blue and green tones.