American Estates: Abe Herbaugh Smooth Sitting Fish (Crane) (2017) (Unsmoked) Tobacco Pipe

Between his organically evocative Voodoo Lily and Forrestiana shapes, his musically-inspired Angélique shape, and his playfully streamlined Speeding shapes, Abe Herbaugh's body of work is not lacking for dynamism. That being said, this Sitting Fish shows that even with such an impressively eclectic aesthetic, Abe isn't the sort of carver to be content resting on his laurels. Indeed, this pipe sees the carver returning to nature, with a combination of neatly-pinched ridges, broad panels, and curved flanks culminating in a rather sculptural interpretation of a fish leaping gracefully from the water's surface. To my eye, it's one of the most dynamic of Herbaugh's designs, offering plenty to keep both wandering fingers and eyes occupied while in the midst of a smoke. In addition to all that, Abe's left a gentle dotting of plateau on the right flank, complementing some beautiful flame and birdseye alike, all no doubt deserving of his heralded "Crane" stamp. This piece is still unsmoked too.