Bill Shalosky: Sandblasted Lovat with Pink Ivory (503) Tobacco Pipe

Bill Shalosky knows his traditional shapes. His portfolio is rife with his classics, yet identifiable as his individual work because he modulates those classic designs with his own artistic vision. Here is a Lovat, statuesque in profile with a relatively slender bowl in comparison to the sturdy shank, which has been expanded slightly from the classic style. The combination forms a unique dynamic that is enhanced by rippling horizontal growth rings circling and climbing the bowl in sandblasted texture to the likewise sandblasted rim. The stummel is ruby-tinged black, as is the crisp saddle mouthpiece, while for elegant contrast a rounded ring of pink ivory wood commends itself with its own unique hue. It's a refined and tastefully proportioned pipe, with stunning grain, superlative execution, and a traditional nobility.