American Estates: Todd Johnson Sandblasted Cherrywood (Athenian) (2006) Tobacco Pipe

An organic Cherrywood from American pipe legend Todd Johnson, this iteration from 2006 manages to capture the fluidity of naturally-occurring life as well as the robust muscularity of the American independent spirit. The bowl flows forward, wave-like with a resplendent array of grain exploding upwards to a broad rim of plateau, while the shank transitions with a note of decided strength, curling upward to a face of matching plateau. It all sits neatly on a broad, flattened base, ready to equally look stunning on your desk, or when in hand.

A rich tanblast dresses the briar, making the grain patterns unmissable and pairing well with the hand-crafted vulcanite stem. The mouthpiece completes nearly a full bend as it extends gracefully out back, reducing as it joins the stummel via a standard mortise and tenon arrangement. This pipe is an excellent example of Todd's renowned craftsmanship and artistry, and is a surprisingly affordable opportunity to collect one of his pieces.