Japanese Estates: Yuki Tokutomi Sandblasted Teardrop (2006) Tobacco Pipe

Daughter of legendary pipe maker Hiroyuki Tokutomi, Yuki Tokutomi is a talented artisan in her own right, carving a wealth of sculptural and organically inclined pieces which embody a modernist charm. Learning under the watchful eye of her father and following his working methods since she was a child, Yuki began carving her own pieces in 2005, integrating the design aspects of her father and the legendary Danish artisans into her work while staying true to her own signature style. The Teardrop is a shape which Yuki has carved often, and that is reflected in the practiced, sweeping lines which suffuse the stummel of this piece. Said stummel is unique, separating the shank and bowl at a high-set transition that affords this pipe a striking sense of dynamism and an impressive element of verticality. The shank rises higher than the bowl and marries to the stem at a rounded face which marks the start of twin ridges that line the shank face and flow into the shank itself, proceeding to wrap around the vertical circumference of the bowl. Said bowl is nicely rounded through the flanks, with a plump build that fits well in the hand and stands atop a sharp, pronounced heel that forms a spur beneath the chamber. The plump cheeks of the bowl are contrasted nicely by the wrapping ridge that the shank starts, creating some firmness in the hand and emphasizing the organic elements of the composition. Dressed in an earthy sandblast, the stummel here showcases a sunburst array of grain on both flanks of the bowl, with rippling growth rings flowing out of a central basin of birdseye.