Alexander Tupitsyn: Smooth Tomato with Boxwood Tobacco Pipe

Utilizing the vertically compressed aspect of the Tomato to fine effect, Alexander Tupitsyn here presents a contrast stained, near nosewarmer composition of elegant and simple charm. In profile, the shank is compressed, with softened ridgelines along the sides. When viewed from above or below, however, that shank takes on impressively wide proportions, flaring gently to the mouthpiece, where it is almost as wide as the bowl itself. But the remarkable characteristics of the shank don't end there. From above and below, it presents a sea of dense birdseye in a mesmerizing display of natural delicacy. A thin boxwood accent decorates the base of the stem for a subtle, restrained bit of contrasting color. The curved rim is organically inclined, the straight grain of the flanks curving inward toward the tobacco chamber, which is topped with a chamfered inner rim that reveals even more birdseye. While it's small enough to be a convenient pocket pipe, it's also a unified composition of remarkable craftsmanship.