Jerry Zenn: Smooth Volcano with Horn Tobacco Pipe

Among the most interesting Volcanos I've seen, this piece from Jerry Zenn is hard to pin down regarding influence. It seems to have sprung from Jerry's mind on its own, though I suppose I could conjure some Japanese comparisons if necessary. But here Jerry has taken the Volcano and truncated the base in a saucer-like rendition, with an upward tilted heel in a domed aesthetic. The Vocano is especially well-suited to displaying the grain of briar, as it follows the natural fan orientation with its shape, and this piece proves the rule, with fine strands of vertical grain descending from the rim. The transition is low and the shank almost non-existent, with a spectacular piece of natural horn expanding all the way from the stummel to the saddle bit. Wide birdseye populates the heel, of course, so that gazing at the underside is as fascinating as any other angle. A natural clencher, with its upward angle of mouthpiece, it's as comfortable in the hand as it should be in the teeth.