Alexander Tupitsyn: Smooth Tomato with Palmwood Tobacco Pipe

This straight, stout Tomato from Alexander Tupitsyn displays a very structural, muscular bowl, in keeping with the Russian artisan's portfolio and personal style. Tupitsyn has been mentored extensively by Vladimir Grechukhin, and his work typically leans into the elder Russian's penchant for stubby, muscular designs. Those design cues are present here, not just in the bowl, but in the stout, oval shank as well, providing a delightfully Russian interpretation of the classic shape.

Alexander has put incredibly uniform striations of flame grain on full display with a smooth contrast finish, the briar's natural grain also resplendent in a field of birdseye on the underside and rim, with a kiss of natural plateau lending an organic ambiance. A sleek ring of ebonite terminates the briar of the shank, giving way to unique striations of palmwood that artfully encase a mortise-and-tenon arrangement. The mouthpiece is slightly abbreviated, keeping the piece in very pocket-friendly dimensions while offering a lithe saddle configuration and hand-funneled lip button for a comfortable smoke.