Misc. Estates: Sam Cui Smooth Horn Tobacco Pipe

Sam Cui's personal aesthetic draws heavily from Danish and Japanese design cues, both present in this sweeping Horn rendition. Decidedly more flowing than many other iterations, this piece from Sam lacks nothing in regards to visual momentum and curvaceous appeal — from bit to rim, the profile is marked by an undulating flow as if having been fashioned from water. The Chinese carver has clearly focused on shaping according to the grain here, as the streaks of flame grain coincide with the bowl's flare and forward cant. The only hard lines on this piece are evident at the stem base and rim, the latter demarcating the rim's inflated disposition, while the inner ring of plateau only adds to the piece's overall organic nature.