American Estates: Pete Prevost Smooth Long Shank Sitter with Amboyna Burl and Bakelite (2016) Tobacco Pipe

Pete's Long Shank Sitter has been a signature shape of his for quite a while now, yet that's not to say that this current iteration isn't just as impressive, or even more impressive, than the first or the last one we received from him. It's in these truly iconic forms, after all, that an artisan's actual style and process really shows — having taken years to perfect each and every line, balance of form, cohesive proportions, and block/grain orientation.

In this example, we see a strong balance of Danish arcing curve and dynamism with the more streamlined nature of his more elongated, industrial forms. The result is a stable Sitter, a perfect choice for a desk pipe, yet one that avoids any static or stoic criticisms — ripe as it is with jaunty playfulness. It's even quite organic in its own way, drooping heavily over the fore of the bowl and kissed with plateau along the rim. It's finished in a vibrant amber and walnut contrast stain, highlighting a spectacular flame and straight grain pattern all around.