Alexander Tupitsyn: Smooth Freehand Tobacco Pipe

With a little bit more pinch and compression to its bowl, this freehand from Alexander Tupitsyn would be a Cobra. What Alexander has achieved in this shape is remarkable, however, its crisp ridgeline and clean paneling at the fore making a frame for a sea of tight birdseye, while the well-rounded bowl, rather than evoking the appearance of a serpent ready to strike, serves the role of canvas as well — there for vast, tightly-packed cross-grain. In its display, it feels almost Blowfish-like, the shape designed to display the best of what the briar has to offer, and the finish fit to match, with its warm yet striking detail. It should be no surprise that this was Alexander's submission to the St. Petersburg Pipe Show's "Best in Show" contest in 2018, the winners of which are voted on by those in attendance — including fellow pipemakers. That makes it all the more impressive that it won the first place slot. From one end to another, it makes for a really impressive piece, and one that shows not just a keen eye for grain, but an understanding of the way in which shape, grain, and finish work together to create a work of art.