American Estates: Grant Batson Smooth Bent Egg (23) (2012) Tobacco Pipe

Grant Batson is a Texas-based artisan that has had the distinct privilege of being mentored by both Todd Johnson and Teddy Knudsen, pursuing the path of an artisan pipe smoker after founding the Batson Guitar company with his father. His passion for carving briar shows through in his work, and his inspirations are embodied in pieces like this bent Egg which shows facets of design reminiscent of both his teachers, though Todd Johnson springs to mind most readily. Up front, the bowl takes on a plump, full-bodied stance that sees it possessed of a mid-set waistline and a gentle, arcing taper to the rim. Beneath this bowl, the heel takes on a sweeping stature that's interrupted only by a sharp spur that manifests out of the transitional area. This spur creates a major locus of visual intrigue, despite its rather small stature, as the sharpness of the outcropping stand out in sharp contrast against the soft, smooth curvature of the rest of the stummel. From out of the transition rises a flowing shank that flares to its end, meeting a rounded accent ring of darkly stained wood before flowing into a dome-based saddle stem, keeping the plump lines of the shank and bowl consistent throughout, making the inclusion of the spur all the more important to the silhouette. Dressed in a warm auburn stain, the stummel here showcases some handsome birdseye across both of its flanks, while cross grain wraps around the top and bottom.