Christian Ruetz Smooth Bent Bulldog with Morta (2023) Tobacco Pipe

Austrian artisan Christian Ruetz found a particularly fascinating way to accent this mostly briar-based bent Bulldog. Namely, Ruetz incorporated a second type of wood to the upper bowl and shank face — in this case morta, or oak that has fallen into peat bogs and been preserved over time. The effect is exhilarating, giving the tall, aggressively sloped portion of the bowl above the beadline a dark coloring that matches the accent on the shank face and contrasts beautifully with the lightly stained, straight-grained briar. A gently bent vulcanite saddle stem finishes the piece, but even while smoking it, it's unlikely you'll be taking your eyes off the amazing two-tone stummel that Ruetz put together here.