Doctor's: Sandblasted Bent Brandy with Bamboo and Boxwood (Double Flash) Tobacco Pipe

Though his eye for detail is beyond adept, his use of accents especially unique, and his eye for design as playfully idiosyncratic as they come, Roman Kovalev leaves no doubt about his intentions for his work's impact on the pipe smoking community. Put simply: his works are exquisite works of art in their own right, but his pipes aren't meant to be mere collector's items. They're meant for smoking. And this bent Brandy from the Russian artisan is well-equipped to provide years of smoking enjoyment.

The bowl's large size in relation to the other elements makes it the focal point and features a Pot-like breadth to its chamber. The abbreviated, compressed shank further emphasizes the bowl's visual dominance, especially the considerable width of its base. The bowl's waistline is positioned low, setting up for the subtle, gradual taper up toward the smooth rim, which slopes inward to the chamber. Below that rim, sandblasted texture dominates the rest of the bowl and displays a wild, rugged array of undulating grain around its flanks with specks of birdseye visible along the heel.

Roman is renowned for his prolific use of bamboo shank extensions and accenting materials, and this piece delivers just that. The bamboo here features no shortage of craggy texture, gradually flaring out to a boxwood accent at the end that blends perfectly with the pale color of the bamboo. The stem's expansion disc mirrors the boxwood's subtle flare, bringing cohesion to the composition before ending in a gentle downturn. This piece rightfully earned its Double Flash designation, the Russian carver's second highest, and testifies to Kovalev's immense creativity and talent.