American Estates: J. Alan Partially Rusticated Volcano with Black Palm (071) (2006) Tobacco Pipe

Jeff Gracik, the artisan behind J. Alan pipes, has built a considerable reputation on his handsome shaping, gorgeous finishes, and superb engineering. His work tends to reflect the soft features and precise line work of Danish pipe making, but with an added muscularity that is distinctly American. This Volcano exemplifies Gracik's style and demonstrates the carver's masterful ability to marry supple curves with more architectural shaping cues.

As is typical for the form, this piece features a tall bowl with a broad, ridgeline-wrapped heel that tapers rapidly upward toward the rim. The heel's dramatic lift and the rim's forward-driving slant lend the composition an active posture in profile. The shank is framed by four crisp facets that provide an added sense of muscularity to the shape and inform the heel's ridgeline. The shank ebbs upward from the low-set transition and meets a slender saddle stem that arcs gracefully for a comfortable smoking posture. An auburn-hued smooth finish dresses the stummel and highlights fine strands of flame grain across the flanks of the bowl.