American Estates: J. Alan Smooth Bent Apple with Bamboo (1043) (2015) Tobacco Pipe

Crafted by Jeff Gracik in San Diego, California, J. Alan pipes are among the most highly regarded artisan pipes in the United States and the world at large. His shaping style highlights the supple curves of the Danish school while staying true to the evocative and sometimes sculptural designs of the American revival. This bent Apple is a particularly excellent piece from Gracik, displaying influence from the Danish and Japanese pipe making traditions.

This design features a plump, rounded bowl that grows more bulbous toward the rim, which is set seamlessly into the expanding walls, delineated by a subtle ring of plateau. The heel is understated and soft, adjoining a cheeked, tight-knit transition to a minimal shank, fitted to an upturned section of pale bamboo, the three knuckles of which curl gently upward to meet an intricately hand-cut vulcanite saddle stem, comfortably bent. Dressed in a light natural finish, the stummel boasts impeccable flame grain at the flanks, while a field of birdseye dapples the fore and heel. The whole composition combines a Danish sense of organicism with a Japanese proportions, creating a one-of-a-kind piece of functional art.