Todd Johnson Smooth Freehand with Bamboo (AL5) (2003) (Unsmoked) Tobacco Pipe

Though he certainly has been known to turn out some pretty simple classics, Todd Johnson seems to really let his imagination fly when given a good piece of bamboo to pair up with a briar, tending to produce his wildest designs. Even by those expectations, this piece stands out with its radical reinterpretation of a Calabash-style bowl. Despite the singular profile this bit of shaping presents, it must be said that it actually proves easily at home in hand, with a feel not unlike that of a well-made traditional Cavalier, wherein the extended shank/moisture well (in this case, extended heel instead) is positioned just right to keep out of the way. As for the grain, well, you can see it for yourself: fine-stranded fans of flame across both flanks and a lovely freckling of birdseye just about everywhere else.

- Eric N. Squires