Bill Shalosky: Sandblasted Volcano with Fordite (553) Tobacco Pipe

American artisan Bill Shalosky got his start carving pipes as a restoration specialist for the Smoker's Haven workshop, going on to make pipes for them before starting work with Premal Chheda, making pieces under his own name as well. In 2015 he was afforded the unique opportunity to work alongside as an artisan at the BriarWorks workshop, providing him with a wealth of experience while also allowing him to continue fashioning pipes under his own name. In addition, Shalosky's background in woodworking and his degree in fine arts have lent him quite the unique shaping style: one which displays a respect for the classic profiles of old while maintaining a distinctly modern sense of style, something clearly seen in this Volcano.

Compact and overtly muscular, this pipe showcases the wrapping ridgeline around the base that is so iconic to the shape, starting at the thick Fordite accent at the shank end. It is here we also see a very nice half-oval outline, with a peak at the top and a bit of a dipped curve at the underside, the flanks on either side sharp and defined as they feed into their respective ridges. These, of course, meet at the fore of the pipe, rounding it out a bit and following the lift of the heel after a dip near the transition, outlining the flowing lines which Shalosky has crafted here wonderfully and magnifying their presence. The shank proper is actually quite trim, and is playfully upturned as it ebbs out of the wide transition, creating a semi-parabola shape that offers a great open space to drape a thumb. Not only this, but the angle of the transition feeds the taper of the bowl, so much so that most of it is focused on the aft side, with the fore receiving only a touch of internal curve, fostering a palpable forward and upward momentum. In addition to all of this, there's a bit of asymmetrical shaping at play here, as the flanks of the pipe, from the base, are brought inward to build up the bowl, stylistically following the outline of the shank, with the left flank showcasing a sharper angle than the right. Dressing the briar here is a dark chestnut-mahogany sandblast, revealing dense stacks of ring grain that ripple up the entirety of the bowl, with many of these striated with visual and textural flame grain that are lighter in color. All of this is contrasted by a band of smooth mahogany-stained briar at the shank end, and the vibrant tones of the Fordite accent.