Joao Reis Smooth Billiard with Horn Tobacco Pipe

Joao Reis began carving pipes in 1998 in Lisbon, Portugal, and went on to study under the likes of Kai Nielsen, Jørgen Nielsen, Poul Ilsted, and Tom Eltang, eventually moving to Denmark to further his pipe-making career. As such, Reis is an extremely talented carver with a skill level well beyond his years, as evidenced by this lovely Billiard.

The artisan's Danish influences are on full display with this piece: The composition is informed by cleek, sleek lines, exuding functionality, harmony, and balance from stem to rim. The tall, crisp bowl houses a generous chamber bounded by a beautifully chamfered rim, and the arrow-straight, cylindrical shank and tapered stem keep things sleek in profile. The stummel exhibits a wealth of gorgeous grain, with swathes of birdseye and tight tendrils of cross grain accentuated by a smooth, auburn finish. Said finish is complemented handsomely by both the band of horn at the junction and the burgundy hues of the cumberland stem.