Smooth Horn Tobacco Pipe

With this elegant study, Tom eschews the subtle organicism and asymmetry that we have seen in some of his horns of the past, and the lines of the overarching composition feature an exquisite flow, grace and a sense of style that is all too rare in many horns. The dome of the rim is less pronounced than most, with just enough subtle bulge to turn the view from the lateral oblique into the extraordinary. While the entry into the tobacco chamber is ovoid, the actual amount the the oval is less than our vision suggests, something of a cool juxtaposition "sleight of hand" that Tom excels at. As far as the grain goes? One time at a show, I heard someone opine that Tom's Golden Contrast stain would create a smashing grain on any surface that it was applied to (and, in a manner of speaking, he was correct). I kept silent, but was bursting at the seams to remark that if there is a grain wasn't great to start with, Tom wouldn't bother to execute it as a smooth. .

--Bear Graves