G. Penzo: Sandblasted River Stone with Bamboo Tobacco Pipe

Like many pipe makers, Giacomo Penzo's background is in industrial design, which adds to his perception of briar blocks and how best to shape them according to grain and style. This River Stone piece is a fine testament to that skill-set, with the oval, low-lying bowl embodying the look of a rock found in a stream or river. A highly organic pipe, in addition to the shaping of the bowl, this piece is accentuated by three knuckles of dark bamboo that serve as shank extensions. The Italian-born artisan has shaped the bowl precisely to follow the briar's handsome growth rings, with the dark, ruby-tinged sandblast beautifully highlighting the grain.