Sandblasted Calabash with Boxwood (1051) Tobacco Pipe

I am accustomed to seeing a diverse variety of designs from Wojtek Pastuch, as the Polish carver applies his adroit craftsmanship to shapes ranging from faithful pipe-chart renditions to Freehand and innovative interpretations. However, this is only the second time we have had the pleasure of receiving a Calabash from him, and the immediate appeal of this pipe makes me wish it was a more common occurrence. Traditionally created using a hollow gourd joined to a smaller, often meerschaum cap, the large Calabash shape incorporates a hollow chamber designed to cool and dry the smoke before it reaches the stem. This variant is made from a large block of briar, the interior hollowed out to create the necessary space, with a tobacco chamber also made of briar.

Wojtek has blended a smooth, domed cap of boxwood with the briar here, the waist of which protrudes almost invisibly past the flared sides of the bowl to allow it to be removed for cleaning. Finding a block of briar with consistent grain is a skill all on its own, a talent that Wojtek acquired by working with renowned Italian briar cutter Domenico "Mimmo" Romeo. The time he invested in that relationship pays dividends in this piece, evidenced by tight stacks of growth rings rippling up the bowl's flared sides. A deep U-curve swoops down, then quickly back up, completing the shape's profile as it joins with an exquisitely hand-cut, downturned saddle stem of black vulcanite. For anyone who is looking for a finely wrought modern Calabash made of briar, this pipe is a rare find.