Abe Herbaugh: Sandblasted Cutty with Silver Tobacco Pipe

The Cutty is an old shape that hearkens back to the earliest days of pipe making, when shapes were crafted from clay instead of traditional briar. Though it's crafted in a number of different ways, the traditional Cutty is defined by a canted, Egg-like bowl and a protruding heel spur. Abe Herbaugh has lovingly recreated those aforementioned design cues in this handsome rendering of the classic shape. Poised at the fore of an arrow-straight shank-and-stem arrangement, the bowl here boasts a bulging waistline and a dramatic forward-cant, the latter of which imbues the entire composition with a sense of momentum. The demure heel spur, orientated a bit toward the aft of the composition, draws attention to the transition and the arrow-straight shank-and-stem arrangement that stretches out back. The shank and stem's slender build lends visual prominence to the bowl while keeping the overall form lightweight in hand. A crisp sandblast dresses the stummel and highlights stunning showing of birdseye across either flank of the bowl. A sterling silver accent adorns the junction and ties the entire design together with a dose of vibrant flash.