American Estates: Thomas James Sandblasted Billiad Tobacco Pipe

Thomas James has been carving pipes since 2006 with his extensive experience in woodworking serving him well as an artisan pipe maker. Previously, James restored vintage Corvettes and was a cigar smoker but decided to attempt to carve a pipe after seeing a magazine ad for a briar kit. His style is impressively eclectic, ranging from organically inspired designs to more classic forms like this Billiard. That being said, this is still an inventive take on the shape, with a lengthy shank and stem combination that tapers gently out of a wide transition. The shank's extended reach does well to balance the visual weight of the tall, cylindrical bowl which, here, sits atop a pronounced heel. A subtle forward cant lends the bowl a touch of dynamism as it rises toward its chamfered rim, drawing the eye toward the fore and keeping things interesting in profile. Dressed in a crisp tanblast, the stummel of this pipe showcases a dense pattern of rippling ring grain, its palette complimented by the cumberland-hued vulcanite stem to which it is paired.