American Estates: Jody Davis Sandblasted Nautilus with Bamboo (FA08) (32) (2008) Tobacco Pipe

Beginning with Bo Nordh, many carvers have crafted their own renditions of the famous Nautilus shape, inspired by the shell of its namesake marine mollusk. Nautilus shells present one of the finest natural examples of a logarithmic spiral, and with its pleasant, unyielding curvature and complete absence of straight lines, it's no wonder pipe makers such as Jody Davis have looked to it for inspiration.

Jody Davis was one of the frontrunners of the American artisan movement in pipe making. His portfolio consists of a wide stylistic range, from classic shapes to exceptionally creative pieces, as seen in this Nautilus. Most carvers who undertake this complicated design affix the abbreviated shank and stem to the "tail" or curled section of briar. Not Jody. He has switched things around here, clearly, for a unique presentation. The rim of the bowl is wavy rather than straight, mirroring the undulating curve of the tail and embodying the soft linework seen in Danish designs. The carver has extended the shank by integrating five knuckles of bamboo to this already highly organic pipe, with the ebony-hued vulcanite domed mount and stem continuing the rhythm of the bamboo nodes' curvature. Needless to say, this Jody Davis pipe is stunning. It's dressed in a warm sandblast that's complemented by the pale bamboo. A stellar creation by one of pipedom's leading artisans and a real find for a discerning collector.