Andrey Grigoriev: Smooth Bent Egg with Boxwood Tobacco Pipe

While the term "fully bent" is often applied rather liberally to pipes that display a very deeply bent posture, this bent Egg from Andrey Grigoriev is truly a fully bent pipe. A jaw-hanging dream, this pipe combines the balanced comfort of the classic Oom Paul with the voluptuousness of a hearty Egg, such robust proportions off-set by the deep bend when smoked. The bowl is rotund and soft-lined, with an elegant taper toward the rim, and the shank continues that stout shaping as it curls completely vertically to orient the shank end parallel to the rim. That said, such muscular shaping is imbued with a gentle elegance thanks to Grigoriev's masterful line work: Not a single hard edge interrupts the curves of this pipe, and the lines of the S-curve taper gradually through the downturned stem for an effortless and sinuous aesthetic in silhouette. Personally, I find this pipe's undercurve most appealing and most impressive — the skill required to fashion such a perfect and consistent arc by hand testifying to Andrey's craftsmanship and artistic eye. That curve is, then, beautifully balanced by the recurve of the stem, creating undulating negative space around the composition that matches the curve of the heel. As if that weren't commendable enough, the grain orientation rivals the quality of the shaping, with flame grain encompassing the entire bowl and following the upward curl of the shank in perfect harmony. It's all dressed in a dramatic contrast stain of walnut and golden hues, and the choice of boxwood to accent the shank end is an expert choice, its tone complementing the finish's lighter color.