American Estates: Todd Johnson Partially Sandblasted Samurai Volcano Sitter with Bamboo (Hoplite) Tobacco Pipe

Todd Johnson's Samurai Volcano doesn't lack anything in terms of complexity, as it incorporates both an organic asymmetry that strongly evokes the Japanese aesthetic and the artisan's signature industrial firmness in profile. The bowl alone is impressive, with its long arc on the underside and canted rim giving the impression of a gently undulating wave — further accentuated by the dramatic upward turn of a shank extended by five compact knuckles of bamboo. The S-curve in profile is well-defined as well, with the languid turn of a saddle stem lending the silhouette a serpentine fluidity. The overall palette serves to reinforce every aspect of its form — a warm, smooth finish brings out vibrant grain on the underside, while a dark, cooler sandblast keeps the shape's dramatic line work in clear focus. It's excellent work, one definitely worthy of its Hoplite grade, and, on a more practical note, it even sits readily on a flat surface, balanced along a small panel at the base.