American Estates: J. Alan Smooth Blowfish (429) (2010) (Unsmoked) Tobacco Pipe

Jeff Gracik started making pipes as many do, with a few hobby-grade briar blocks, some preformed stems, and a couple of hand tools. He quickly fell in love with the art form, and sought out master pipe makers to improve his craft. He first learned from Todd Johnson, who helped teach him the Danish "shape first, drill second" method, while others like Keith Moore and Jody Davis provided additional guidance. In 2003, Jeff Gracik started J. Alan Pipes and the workshop soon became one of American pipe making's premier names. J. Alan pipes typically exhibit the graceful, soft contours of Danish pipe making while utilizing clean, streamlined finishes, often forgoing accents. However, when J. Alan pipes embrace creative forms, dramatic finishes, and exotic accents, they use them to great effect.

This Blowfish by J. Alan possesses a forward-flowing momentum that is defined by the crisp, rectangular ridgeline that extends the length underside. It peaks at the rim and descends down the aft where the ridgelines flare outward at the transition, creating a particularly pronounced fin on the right flank that displays a kiss of plateau. The ridges also serve to frame the grain, separating the birdseye on the flanks from the cross grain that sweeps the length of the rectangular ridge. The flanks exhibit asymmetry but are similar in their curvaceous forms, bulging outward near their centers and swiftly tapering in each direction toward the ridgelines. Additionally, the thick shank provides some balance to the bowl's hearty form, flaring outward to an extraordinarily large stem base, which then immediately tapers to a superbly trim saddle. Said stem is fashioned from jet-black vulcanite, which, along with the auburn smooth finish on the stummel, gives this avant-garde shape a traditional color palette.