American Estates: J. Alan Smooth Rhodesian (1212) (2016) Tobacco Pipe

Jeff Gracik's pipe-making career began with the want to craft a pipe of his own from start to finish, leading him down a path that would see him training under Todd Johnson, Tonni Nielsen, and Jody Davis, among others. Since then, he has become one of the most celebrated artisans in America and around the world, owed to both his unique shaping style and painstakingly strict standards of production. The Rhodesian is quite the rare shape from Gracik, as we've only ever seen a small handful of examples in our history, making this piece a desirable example of his work, as well as a display of one of his more evocative interpretations of classic shapes.

There are elements of this piece that bring to mind the Horn, Dublin, Sailor, and Mushroom shapes, including: a defined flare as the bowl grows to its rim, a large, cap like rim, ample curves throughout, and a defined fluidity throughout the build coupled with a consistent expansion about the stummel. The shank here is a softly flattened ovoid stretch of briar that flows out from a wide transition with a pair of ridgelines at its flanks to draw further attention to the line work here, its end meeting a demurely curved saddle stem which reinforces the visual weight of the fore. A sweeping, swiftly rising heel flows immediately into the fore wall of the bowl, pushing out with the aft wall to create that aforementioned flare and ceasing the expansion at a pair of beadlines. From here, rather than simply tapering to the rim, the upper portion of the bowl takes the form of a large dome which arcs upward to a chamfered rim that overlooks a capacious chamber. There's a great deal of body to the bowl which, coupled with its wealth of curves, lends it a comfortable feel in hand, as well as plenty of room to showcase the warm, smooth finish of the stummel. The stain dressing the briar here is a rich and lively one that showcases dense streaks of flame surrounding the bowl and a wealth of birdseye at the rim.