GH.ZHANG: Sandblasted Acorn Sitter (Ping Zhan) (15) Tobacco Pipe

Guo Hui Zhang's passion for pipes began with his work as an importer and purveyor of pipe-making materials. Zhang's understanding of large-scale pipe logistics inspired an exciting idea: the mass production of high-quality, artisan pipes. In 2017, he opened the GH Zhang workshop and partnered with pipe makers around the world to achieve his vision. Each GH Zhang pipe is designed by a famous artisan pipe maker and shaped on a CNC machine before being finished by hand and fitted with stems by the team at GH Zhang. Offering more than 40 shapes in smooth and sandblasted finishes, GH Zhang presents pipe smokers with a rare opportunity to procure artisan-style pipes at an accessible price.

Hailing from Dalian, China, Ping Zhan is among the most well-known and highly regarded pipe makers working today. Zhan began carving pipes in 2011 and draws much of his inspiration from the Danish and Japanese schools of pipe design, displaying a keen eye for sleek lines and inventive shaping. Zhan's work often possesses a distinctively organic sensibility, which this "15" Acorn Sitter admirably displays. The outline of this pipe is dominated by a plump, hearty bowl that exudes a measured asymmetry, an asymmetry that guides the trajectory of the shank-and -stem combination as well. This asymmetrical shaping comprises a curl to the right visible through most of the stummel, affording this pipe an active, dynamic posture that keeps the eye held at the fore. A plump, supple shaping dominates the bowl as it flares out of a flat, sure-sitting heel, its build balanced by a similarly flaring, ovoid shank that terminates at a lenticular face inlaid with a brass ring: acting as the sturdy, push-style mount for an arcing stem of black vulcanite. This particular iteration of the shape is dressed in a rich sandblast and showcases a wealth of handsome grain.