Sandblasted Lovat with Horn (0847) Tobacco Pipe

A Danish take on the Lovat shape, this piece from Wojtek is a stunning example of the Polish carver's penchant for sleek-lined, pencil-like briars. It's quite neoclassic in its proportions, the relative size between bowl and shank being incredibly drastic. The bowl rises tall and slightly forward of cant from out of the softly lifted heel, lending the already slender, elongated shank even more of a visually contrasting sleekness. The gentle curves and lines — most notable at the heel and inflated, smooth polished rim — liken this to Danish renditions of the form, yet the finish here is a creative departure by Pastuch.

To say that it's simply a craggy sandblast would fail to give the treatment the justice it deserves. It certainly is craggy, defined by deep grooves and rounded ridges, yet it's marked by an incredibly high definition of detail. The obvious ring grain is intermixed with trim tendrils of straight grain, while the in hand feel takes in the grooved texture while still remaining supple and paradoxically smooth. It's gorgeous work from Wojtek, making for a sandblast lover's dream that's reminiscent of blasts we've seen from Michael Parks and Gustavo Cunha of Martelo. For accented touches, Pastuch has stained the rim a smooth Bruyere hue and fitted a creamy horn ferrule at the abbreviate stem. Beautiful.