American Estates: Clark Layton Smooth Zulu with Silver (2016) Tobacco Pipe

Clark Layton carved his first pipe after a wedding where he spied a few friends smoking pipes they had made themselves. Using cherry wood and preform stems, he set about the shaping process and was totally enthralled, continuing to craft more pipes and learning from his mistakes with each iteration. After he had achieved drilling consistency, he started to work with briar. His background in woodwork and construction, along with advice and instruction given by more experienced pipe makers, accelerated his pace in learning, and contributed to his efficiency with materials and time, imbuing within him a respect for the mediums he was working with.

This Zulu is the first of its kind we've seen from Layton, and it presents with an understated curvature through the stem, with it and the shank showcasing a sleek, ovoid construction that lends the silhouette of the pipe a slender look. The shank here tapers swiftly out of a wide transition, diminishing as it reaches toward a plump ring of silver at the junction, with the stem's own tapering build continuing the aft side's gracile construction. The shank and stem do well to balance the presence of the bowl, with the bowl itself sat atop a rounded heel and growing gently flaring walls that rise to a flat rim, the entirety of its outline canting forward dynamically. Dressed in a rich, chestnut-hued contrast stain, the stummel displays a wealth of handsome grain, with flame encircling the bowl as birdseye peppers the top and underside.