Bill Shalosky: Smooth Natural Fish (604) Tobacco Pipe

The Fish is a shape was first developed by artisans in Denmark, later adopted with much zeal by American carvers. This example by Bill Shalosky is a particularly plump interpretation of the design — a common stylistic cue across his portfolio — featuring a palm-filling bowl with curvaceous walls, which taper gently toward the rim. While many iterations of the Fish feature a soft ridgeline that runs from bowl to shank, this piece opts for a smooth, uninterrupted curvature around the bowl. Behind the cheeked transition, a broad, asymmetrical shank pulls to the right, with a paneled bottom section whose ridges curl up into the pipe's heel. A hand-cut vulcanite stem completes the ensemble, adding a touch of sleekness, as well as an effortless clench. Dressed in a rich honey-blonde finish, the stummel boasts impressive birdseye around the bowl's flanks, with tight cross grain fore and aft that continues up the shank.