Smooth Nautical Dublin Tobacco Pipe

The nautical dublin is a shape that Jeff has made for some years. He's definitely refined it along the process. It was a great shape to begin with, but seeing this iteration is just extraordinary. With the front of the bowl leaning out like the prow of a ship, the entire composition is imbued with a beautiful sense of forward motion. A single edge, running from the end of the shank on the right side, right to the middle front of the rim, ties the composition together, grounding it, stabilizing it amidst its sense of movement. The grain is remarkable, of course, but that almost goes without saying on Jeff's smooth pipes. Beautiful flame grain encompasses the bowl, perfectly highlighted by the striking black-brown-yellow contrast stain. The small ring of plateau around the chamber on the rim is echoed by the end of the shank which is left entirely as exposed plateau, further emphasizing that sense of grounded movement and chaos. Absolutely stunning. But, really, what else would one expect from Jeff Gracik?

-- Sykes Wilford