American Estates: Jody Davis Smooth Bent Brandy (A08) (38) (Saint) (2008) (Unsmoked) Tobacco Pipe

Jody Davis, in addition to being an accomplished musician, is also a venerated pipe maker who fashions some of the finest briars in the world. Like many American artisans, Davis tends to fashion relatively compact designs that emphasize muscular proportions over length, something true of this bent Brandy. The bowl here is a plump and supple, its softly contoured walls building upward from a broad, lifted heel to a taut, chamfered rim. Additionally, the bowl possesses a crisp ridgeline that descends from the rim and wraps around the heel before framing one side of the shank. The ovoid shank emerges from the low-set transition and marries a demurely curved saddle stem, the latter of which promotes a comfortable smoking posture and lends a touch of gesture to the form. Dressing this piece is a ruby-hued smooth finish that highlights attractive grain across the stummel.