Mike Sebastian Bay Rusticated Pencil Shank Billiard with Mammoth (Unsmoked) Tobacco Pipe

Mike Sebastian Bay originally encountered Tom Eltang when looking for someone to repair his father's old pipes, but eventually secured an apprenticeship from the Danish artisan and eventually joined his workshop in 2015. You can see considerable influence from Eltang in Mike's pipes, though he has certainly made a name for himself with his fine handiwork.

This Billiard from Mike has what can only be described as a rich rustication, covering the stummel in wide tracks and allowing the fingers to enjoy the touch of the dark-stained wood in between. The bowl is slightly tapered and canted forward, and the rim lightly inflated with a small helping of smoothly finished birdseye. True to this pipe's title, the shank is pencil-thin and quite lengthy as it reaches back to the mammoth accent, from which the vulcanite stem tapers back from a single expansion ring. The rustication and its unique feel play the starring role here, but Mike's remarkable precision allowed him to keep this piece below one ounce despite a length of just over six inches.