American Estates: Chris Morgan Smooth Freehand (09) (Unsmoked) (See Description) Tobacco Pipe

Crafted by Chris Morgan, the American carver best known for his Bones series of workhorse smokers, this Freehand presents a wildly different aesthetic than his more commonly seen practical fare. Reminiscent of the Nautilus in some respects, this pipe's shaping is impressively expressive throughout, its silhouette punctuated by the dynamically lifted, flicking shank. Said shank is rounded at its far edge by a wrapping ridgeline which firms up the silhouette significantly, the briar tapering slightly out of the transition before lifting and flaring out toward the ridge. This ridge flows through the flanks of the shank and plunges underneath the bowl before lifting at the fore wall and terminating at the rim on either side. The shank is pinched from the smoker's perspective, emphasizing the transitional area and lending the shank end a similar presence to the bowl, thanks to their similar breadth. A domed shank face marries the pipe to a sleek saddle stem of brindled green and black vulcanite, this dome being sloped into the mortise and creating a cleft which continues through into the underside. The bowl is hearty, with an Egg-like build that's nicely rounded throughout its slight taper to the plateau-crowned rim, and its presence is marked by the division of the aforementioned cleft into two parts separated by an island of raised briar. Dressed in a warm, auburn-mahogany stain, the stummel here showcases handsome grain throughout, its colorful stem adding rich contrast.

Note: The draft hole of this pipe has been overdrilled rather significantly and extends into the fore wall of the bowl.