Abe Herbaugh: Sandblasted Prince with Silver Spigot Tobacco Pipe

The Prince is one of the most refined, elegant shapes in the history of pipe making, and when crafted by an artisan like Abe Herbaugh, who expresses a deep fondness for traditional forms, the results are outstanding. That said, the Prince is surprisingly a shape we've never seen from Herbaugh before, but he's made quite a powerful statement with this interpretation. The bowl is low-slung and broad, prioritizing width over height, and has been finished in a crisp sandblast, an impressive feat given how small the stummel's surface area is; one small mistake would throw everything off completely. The American artisan has wonderfully brought out the briar's cross-cut orientation, with horizontal streaks of grain positioned along the near and far sides while blasted birdseye patterns are displayed across the left and right flanks. Out back, the stem's downturn is so subtle it's almost imperceptible but features the Prince's signature bend just before ending at the trim, comfortably shaped lip button. Abe's silverwork is always impressive, and here the American carver has fashioned a silver spigot, the precious metal pairing handsomely with the stummel's crimson stain while such construction allows the stem to be safely removed from the shank at any time. It's an elegant piece that looks like it could have been fashioned by a classic English marque over a century ago, but here benefits from Herbaugh's attention, care, and skill.