GH.ZHANG: Sandblasted Bent Apple (Boris Starkov) (02) 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.

Russian carver Boris Starkov is known for his meticulous pipe-making process, shaping each pipe by hand and spending extensive time on the various aspects of a given design. Such time-consuming craftsmanship means Starkov's annual production rate is incredibly low, making this "02" Starkov by GH Zhang all the more enticing. Shape-wise, this "02" bent Apple features a plump bowl that stands at the fore of an upturned oval shank punctuated by a demurely curved saddle stem. A lifted heel supports the bowl's supple walls and thrusts the form outward into visual prominence, its active posture accentuated by the sweeping curvature of the shank-and-stem arrangement. This particular "02" Starkov is dressed in a crisp sandblast that highlights healthy grain throughout the stummel.