Misc. Estates: Alexey Kharlamov Smooth Bent Apple with Bamboo Tobacco Pipe

We've not received many pipes from Russian artisan Alexey Kharlamov, so this bent Apple is a welcome sight. With a background in woodworking and sculpting, turning to pipe making was a natural fit for the artisan. Here, the affable Apple displays the form's plumpness and taper, but is given a wavy, chamfered rim, along with a distinctive ridgeline that descends from the rim on one flank, then loops under the heel and up the side of the other. It's an intriguing feat, seemingly cleaving the bowl in half. The brief shank is extended by bamboo, the curvature of the knuckles continuing into the round base of the slender saddle stem. It's dressed in a dark, smooth, mahogany stain, beneath which can be seen an amazing amount of gorgeous birdseye. The shaping, finish, use of an organic material and the hand-cut vulcanite stem are all simply stunning. Hopefully, we'll see more from the talented Mr. Kharlamov.