Abe Herbaugh: Smooth Bent Egg Tobacco Pipe

Abe Herbaugh is a talented American artisan with a penchant for the sleek lines and supple curves of Danish pipe making. Herbaugh tends to imbue his pipes with a palpable sense of momentum, as evidenced by this striking bent Egg. The bowl's forward-ebbing posture is accentuated by the rim's raised fore and the heel's subtle lift, with those latter two aspects helping to drive the entire composition outward. Almost in response to the bowl's dynamic posture, the shank-and-stem arrangement angles away from the transition, taking on a steep upward climb the adds a check mark-like sharpens to the shape's silhouette. The shank flares subtly as it approaches its face, which naturally leads the eye to the saddle stem's gentle arc toward the bit. The bowl's elegant contours conform naturally to the hand, while the bowl itself boasts a subtle taper from heel to rim that results in a slightly protruding waistline. Soft, charming, and all together handsomely composed, this piece is dressed in a vibrant crimson stain that highlights a stunning display of flame grain around the bowl.