Smooth Tulip (1413) Tobacco Pipe

Polish artisan Wojtek Pastuch takes inspiration from pipe-making schools the world over, though his key stylistic influences seem rooted in the Japanese and Danish traditions. Pastuch's pipes are most often understated, or tinged with his unique outlook on shaping in subtle ways, as his portfolio showcases a profound respect for and admiration of the timeless chart standards. However, when Pastuch decides to make a sculptural pipe, he does not hold back, fashioning some of the most remarkably contemporary and forward-thinking shapes I've ever seen. These displays of sheer artistic vision never fail to hold my gaze, either through the complexity of their construction, the harmony of the composition, or the fineness of their grain, though this Tulip exists at the intersection of all three. Unabashedly floral in its shape, this pipe features an impressive leanness through the shank, with its overall silhouette reminding me of certain especially svelte takes on the Acorn shape.

The transition is wide, with ample room to drape a digit, and it gives way to a strikingly long shank, one that tapers subtly toward the middle before gradually flaring out to the end. At the shank end, the briar flares out dramatically and creates a sharp, aerodynamic angle, with the top of the shank curling up and out swiftly, while the underside extends out further and manifests its own fine-edged point. It's not just that the shank end is carved into these striking spurs, but its outline is asymmetrical, as if it were spun ever so slightly to the right from its default position, and this aspect of its shaping pulls the eye toward the aft side without fail. Additionally, the stem, a sleek and short taper of black vulcanite, is uniquely shaped, with an expansion ring at the base that's been formed in a petal-like or leaf-like design. This bit of floral detail at the aft side immediately suffuses the pipe with a dizzying organicism, which works with the shaping at the shank end and bowl to cement this piece as a cohesive, stunning sculpture. Up front, a small spur defines the heel, its slight extension giving way to thick, flaring walls round out through the middle before cinching tightly just before the rim. Here, Pastuch has carved the briar in a blossoming, asymmetrical crown that redoubles the floral look of this pipe, its undulating edges comprising a fine point and its underside showcasing a flat look: something immediately contrasted by the domed surface of the rim and its scattered display of plateau. This bit of plateau is matched by the shank face, and it stands out nicely against the stummel's vibrant contrast stain, which here reveals dense streaks of flame grain flickering up through the flanks, while the top and underside are both awash with birdseye. Light, lean, and lengthy, this pipe is a fantastic piece from the Polish artisan, one whose singular silhouette calls to mind a branch poised in a tree, holding aloft a single, freshly blooming bud whose petals twist in the wind.