American Estates: Brighton James Partially Sandblasted Blowfish with Boxwood Tobacco Pipe

California-based carve Brighton James de los Santos began crafting pipes under the tutelage of Italy's Mimmo Romeo and shows an affinity for both Italian and Danish design. James has continued to hone his craft to become an accomplished artisan in his own right, as this Blowfish displays. An angular interpretation of the popular shape, the central panel is shifted far to the right side of the bowl, placing a firm ridge at the fore and aft, flanked by a curvaceous wall at the left side and a paneled wall at the right. The left flank culminates in a deftly carved protrusion that resembles a fin, while the left finishes in a jutting ridge which itself wraps around the defined transition. The paneled shank is dominated by a lengthy boxwood accent which flares at its junction to a comfortably bent saddle stem of black vulcanite. Dressed in an auburn stain, the bowl boasts excellent grain, integrated seamlessly into the shaping, with the right flank dressed in a crisp black sandblast for a touch of tactile intrigue.