Sandblasted Rhodesian (Two Clubs) Tobacco Pipe

Becker makes a big pipe like nobody else. And that's a good thing. It seems many carvers show a tendency to lose a lot of key proportions and nice transitions when working in a 'larger' scale, yet Becker always manages to keep work of this size both masculine and elegant. When it comes to this Rhodesian, Becker shaped the anterior side of the bowl beneath the bead along the same line as the anterior side of the bowl above the bead, which keeps the piece feeling fluid as it transitions from its relatively slender shank to the bowl. But now I fear I'm getting complicated. The gist of it is this: if you're looking for a big pipe that isn't entirely macho in its composition, you've found it.

-- Ted Swearingen