American Estates: J. Alan Smooth Billiard with Silver (1009) (2014) (Unsmoked) Tobacco Pipe

One of the most talented pipe makers in North America, and the world for that matter, Jeff Gracik of J. Alan pipes fashions expertly engineered compositions that are highly sought after and admired for their shaping, grain, and excellent smoking properties. A handsome showcase of the American craftsman's singular design aesthetic, this Billiard boasts a sleek, streamlined profile that poses a tall, upright bowl at the fore of a trim shank and a slender tapered stem. The bowl here is Danish in execution, possessing gracile walls that taper from a wide heel to a taut rim. The shank-and-stem arrangement balances the bowl and lends the shape a tidy, minimalist silhouette. An auburn smooth finish dresses the stummel and highlights gorgeous flame grain across the bowl's flanks, while a sterling silver accent adorns the junction and ties the shape together with a dose of flash.