American Estates: Mark Tinsky Bengal Bent Bulldog Christmas 2023 (Two Star) Tobacco Pipe

Every year since 1983, Montana-based carver Mark Tinsky has celebrated the holiday season with a series of Christmas pipes. Each release comprises a single shape rendered across a variety of Tinsky's signature finishes. For 2023, Tinsky presents a gestural bent Bulldog shape, one that sees a muscular bowl set to an upturned diamond shank and a demurely curved tapered stem. The bowl stands atop a plump heel and grows thick, insulating walls that flare to a high-set waistline marked by twin beadlines, which additionally denote the start of the rim's taper.  The diamond shank's firm, architectural lines lend a touch of rigidity to the shape's profile, and provide structural definition to the supple heel. Dressed in the Bengal smooth finish, this piece boasts a wealth of attractive grain.