American Estates: Jody Davis Sandblasted Bent Billiard with Black and White Ebony (Friar) (C) (43) (2007) Tobacco Pipe

A talented musician and one of America's premier carvers, Jody Davis crafts stunning pipes that are possessed of a distinctive character, one that immediately charms and elates with its sophistication. This bent Billiard is a particularly striking example of Davis' style, which could accurately be described as muscular, shapely, and elegant. This piece features a tall, upright bowl that tapers ever-so-slightly from its broad, firm heel to its tauter rim. Said bowl is paired to a shank that curls upward from the low-set transition and tapers softly into a demurely curved saddle stem of jet-black vulcanite. The dark color of the mouthpiece harmonizes with the stummel's shadowy stain, fostering a cohesive and subdued palette that immediately attracts the eye. A crisp sandblast dresses the stummel and draws out tight bands of rippling grain across the flanks of the bowl, providing plenty of visual and tactile intrigue to admire. A trim band of black and white ebony adorns the shank end and lightens the pipe's profile, adding just a touch of warmth to the composition. Lightweight yet firm in hand, this piece boasts a respectably deep chamber capacity that should ensure plenty of leisurely smoking sessions.