Bill Shalosky: Sandblasted Oversized Bent Egg with Boxwood (605) Tobacco Pipe

When asked about the pipes that inspired him, Bill Shalosky points to "every pipe ever made," which makes sense when viewing the diverse range of shapes within his portfolio. His work can range from classic shape-chart standards to highly stylized, Danish-inspired pieces, but whatever Shalosky ends up crafting, his love of pipe making, in all its many aspects, is on full display. He has fashioned pieces for BriarWorks, Smoker's Haven, and Chheda Pipes, so he has considerable experience, which is clearly evident when considering this bent Egg offering.

As one might expect from the "Oversized" designation, this bent Egg is a particularly hearty rendition of the shape-chart standard, offering the palm-filling girth and muscular build typically associated with Italian neoclassical briars, except with a more balanced sense of proportions. The bowl here is immense and comprised of thick insulating walls that conceal a capacious chamber over two inches deep, ensuring long smoking sessions of a favored blend. Said bowl stands at the fore of an upturned shank and a demurely curved stem of jet-black vulcanite. The shank and stem's gestural posture echoes the bowl's rounded contours, resulting in a profile full of supple curves and flowing lines. An earthy sandblast dresses the stummel and brings vivid definition to a handsome sea of birdseye across either of the bowl's flanks, while an accent of boxwood ties the entire composition together with a dose of contrasting vibrancy.