GH.ZHANG: Dark Sandblasted Bent Brandy (Ping Zhan) (11) 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 "11" bent Brandy admirably displays. This piece places a tall, voluptuous bowl atop a plump, rounded heel, with supple walls that taper up to an organically undulating rim. The bowl's flanks feature subtle ridgelines that sweep through the smooth transition to a broad, lenticular shank that curls gently upward to a gently domed face that joins a comfortably bent vulcanite saddle stem. Dressed in a dark sandblast, the stummel boasts finely textured grain around the bowl, with contrast offered by the smooth rim and shank face.