Brighton James: Smooth Blowfish Tobacco Pipe

Brighton James de los Santos is an American artisan who has developed one of the most singularly expressive shaping styles in the pipe world, with a futuristic, slightly aquatic leaning influenced by his life near the ocean. His portfolio showcases an unapologetically artistic inclination that most often manifests as shockingly high-concept works of modern sculptural art, with this Blowfish being a comparatively reserved example. Compared to many other takes on the Blowfish, this piece stands out for its defined verticality through the shank and stem combination, the pair arcing out of a wide transition and poising this piece for comfortable smoking. Outside of this aft side arrangement's smart smoking posture, the duo's curling ascent also lends this pipe a dynamic sense of momentum, as if it were illustrating the stummel's main body hurriedly gliding through the water: calling to mind the shape's piscine namesake. The shank itself is framed by a sextet of firm panels defined by a number of crisp ridges, and these panels expand as the shank flares toward its face, where an angled streak of craggy plateau dominates the left side and stylistically tapers into the shank's trimmest panel. The right side of the face, however, is subtly domed, with a comfortable bit of rounding to appreciate and a smooth finish that stands out strikingly against the plateau's darker tones. At the middle of the face, a trim ring of brass has been inlaid, bridging the gap between both sides of said face and showcasing a unique appearance, as its right is flush with the briar and its left has been shaped to mirror the plateau's peaks. Here, the stummel pairs to a sleek saddle stem of black vulcanite with a demure downturn at the bit, its svelte outline pushing further visual weight onto the stummel while extending the reach of this piece to more than seven inches. Up front, the bowl stands on a sweeping heel and grows into a structured pair of panels, one on either side, which showcase a complex asymmetry and a defined curve through their central line. The leftmost panel is larger than the right, and its expanse includes a pronounced, fin-like structure at the lower aft side that further enhances this pipe's organic style and the reminiscence to its namesake. At either side, the center of these panels boasts some comfortable rounding that makes for a more supple feel in hand, nicely contrasted by the pair's slight point toward the fore of the composition and the broad panel draping over the rim. Strikingly dynamic and impressively fluid, this piece is dressed in a warm, rich contrast stain that reveals vast seas of birdseye across the flanks, while cross grain wraps the midsection: complete with kisses of plateau across the left side of the bowl for some textural contrast.