American Estates: J. Alan Smooth Volcano (365) (2009) Tobacco Pipe

Crafted by Jeff Gracik in San Diego, California, J. Alan pipes are among the most highly regarded artisan pipes in the United States and the world at large. His shaping style highlights the supple curves of the Danish school while staying true to the evocative and sometimes sculptural designs of the American revival. This Volcano is a particularly excellent piece from Gracik, displaying influence from the Danish and Japanese pipe making traditions.

Characterized by a sweeping, forward-urging silhouette, this piece features a forward-canted bowl with an upswept, beveled rim and a lifted heel that offer a particularly active stance. The smooth transition gives way to a semi-triangular shank that flares wide at its transition to a comfortably bent saddle stem of black vulcanite. The bowl's walls are broad and tapered, lent a cinched-in appearance by the forward momentum of the heel and rim. Dressed in a rich auburn finish, the stummel boasts impeccable flame grain around the bowl, while the broad heel displays impressive fields of birdseye that run the length of the shank.