American Estates: Royal Oak Briars Smooth Tomato (2014) Tobacco Pipe

Royal Oaks Briars are made by James Kelly Aydlott, a student of Michael Lindner, in Nashville, Tennesee, and this Tomato showcases his talents well: complete with the squat, supple shaping for which the shape is known. The transition is wide and gives way to a thick shank that tapers subtly to meet a similarly tapering stem of black vulcanite, the hearty presence of the aft side combination keeping the visual weight of this pipe nicely balanced. Up front, the bowl stands on a pronounced heel firms up the silhouette a touch, its walls boasting plenty of plumpness to appreciate in the hand as they arc toward a chamfered rim. The bowl is rotund, with plenty of thickness to insulate the chamber thanks to a breadth greater than its height, offering an imposing presence in hand and plenty of canvas to showcase the stummel's warm, auburn-tinged stain.