American Estates: Clark Layton Sandblasted Freehand Tobacco Pipe

Showcasing his penchant for supple curves and organic shaping cues, Clark Layton presents a Danish-inspired Freehand that, at first glance, shares much in common with his renditions of the Blowfish, as it possesses the same flared shank, forward-canted bowl, and structural line work. This piece differs in that the bowl, while compressed along its flanks, is evenly distributed, the ridgelines encompassing either side more or less symmetrical. The aforementioned compressed flanks and wrapping ridgelines pinch and drive the fore of the bowl outward, which reinforces the strong sense of geometry seen throughout the pipe's construction. The transition here, also, is more starkly defined than in his more fluid Blowfish design, as it rests low on the aft side of the bowl and displays some strong cheeking. In cross section, the shank appears as a reuleaux triangle, flanked by ridgelines and mirroring the shaping of the bowl, and it rapidly broadens to a wide face before giving way to a slender tapered stem of jet-black vulcanite. A crisp, dark sandblast dresses the stummel and accentuates the natural grain orientation of the briar, while the shank face is left smooth and stained a lighter color for a touch of contrast.