Bill Shalosky: Sandblasted Rhodesian with Juma and Fordite (512) Tobacco Pipe

Smokingpipes' 7th Annual American Pipe Making Exposition for 2021 features pipes from 16 highly acclaimed U.S.-based carvers, with the repeated theme from 2017 of accent stems. It was the Danish pipe-making master Sixten Ivarsson who actualized the idea that mouthpieces are more intrinsic to a pipe's composition than simply a utilitarian element. Stem styles have evolved considerably over recent decades, especially within American artisan pipe making.

Bill Shalosky's portfolio consists of many traditionally shaped pieces that are individualized with his own creative nuances, as is his Rhodesian entry in this year's Expo. Compact and curvaceous, this piece is primed for pocket carry. The rather tall, upright bowl displays a sturdy heel and subtle taper, with a single crisp, wrapping beadline high-set beneath the domed rim, emphasizing the robust bowl's height. The form's round shank continues the muscular aesthetic, coming out of the transition at a precise angle. The focus of the Expo, of course, is the stem, but the clean lines and easy flow of the stummel is a thing of beauty, made even more so by the artisan's extra-dark, grain-defining sandblast, which pairs wonderfully with the black and white hues of the striking split-saddle stem.

Split stems comprise two different materials or two different sections of the same material for a distinct, often contrasting, aesthetic. The creamy white part of the hand-cut, split stem is made of Juma, a specialized resin that's durable, great for turning and is especially appropriate for pipe-stem use. The jet-black portion is ebonite, the two colors combining for an almost piano-key-like aesthetic. When separating the mouthpiece from the stummel, a surprise awaits: A thin accent ring made of Fordite — a common accent across Shalosky's work — is situated inside the stem base, its brightly colored and striated patterns of automotive enamel also known as "Detroit Agate" contrasting brilliantly and offering a reward upon breakdown of the pipe.