Alexander Tupitsyn: Sandblasted Bent Brandy with Silver Tobacco Pipe

Alexander Tupitsyn both fashions his own personal line of artisan pipes, as well as pieces for PS Studio, a collaborative project of Vladimir Grechukhin, Sergey Dyomin, and Tupitsyn. Having been mentored extensively by Grechukhin, Tupitsyn's shaping style often incorporates design cues pioneered by the elder Russian artisan. Most notably, Grechukhin is known for his compact designs and chubby proportions, considered the St. Petersburg school, and this bent Brandy from Alexander leans into that design tradition.

Boldly proportioned, the muscularity of both the shank and bowl belie the overall size of this pipe, which measures under five inches in length. It makes for a composition that's wonderfully practical and portable yet one that still fits substantially in hand and impresses with a hearty chamber and memorable aesthetic. The bowl cants forward to continue the dynamism initiated by the curling shank-and-stem combination, and such visual momentum lends the form a more svelte nature than the proportions would otherwise suggest. It wears a subtle, red-clay contrast stain and low-profile sandblast, drawing focus to the wedding band of sterling silver adorning the shank end. The silver is softly rounded, extending beyond the lines of the shank, but remains flush at the edges to maintain the elegant lines of both shank and stem.