Smooth Elephant's Foot with Giraffe Bone Ring (Diamond) Tobacco Pipe

We're seeing some truly incredible work from Peter Heding as of late, and this drop-dead gorgeous Elephant's Foot is yet another testament to that fact. First, the shape of it is uncanny. The Elephant's Foot, like the Blowfish, is one of those standard Danish classics that every reputable carver has to produce once in awhile. And sadly, most seem to simply struggle with it. Too many of these tend to wobble and quiver when transitioning from a rather broad, ordinarily oblong bowl to a shank that is proportionally out of sorts with it. But Peter nails it down at a perfect tilt, combing along with the proceeding shank tons of grain that courses with the feel of the shape. Undulating down from the canted rim, the side panels of the bowl are equal supple, and of course, each is equally beautifully grained in finely lined, brushed tiger stripes. Like wise, the front panel of piece is just awash in tight coils of bird's eye; it's pretty mesmerizing stuff, actually.

Yeah, this is an awesome pipe from Peter Heding.

-- Ted Swearingen