Misc. Estates: Alexander Ponomarchuk Smooth Shield (Unsmoked) Tobacco Pipe

Ukraine-based carver Alexander Ponomarchuk has been working as a full-time pipe maker since 2006. His pipes could easily be defined as Danish-inspired, but they're elevated by the artisan's distinctive eye for precise line work and stylish finishes, both of which are on display with this Shield. Typically, the Shield shape is defined by its domed, ridgeline-wrapped forward flank, and while that cue is present in this rendition, Ponomarchuk has also shaped the aft side of the bowl in a similar manner, though with a less pronounced curvature than the fore side. This shaping choice lends the bowl a sense of visual harmony and creates a channel in-between the fore and aft sides that displays wrapping cross grain. The shank-and-stem arrangement is almost fully bent, erupting out of the transition at near the middle of the bowl and taking a skyward stance, which promotes a comfortable smoking posture and adds a decent bit of verticality to the composition. It's all dressed in a smoky, chestnut-hued smooth finish that highlights an abundance of birdseye across the fore of the bowl as well as the aforementioned cross grain. For a touch of textural diversity, the fore of the bowl also boasts a craggy patch of plateau that nicely contrasts against the otherwise smooth presentation of the briar. Presented unsmoked.