Konstantin Shekita: Sandblasted Tomato with Masur Birch Tobacco Pipe

Ukrainian artisan Konstantin Shekita boasts an impressive shaping acumen, adept at carving both shape-chart classics and unique Freehand designs brimming with intricate detail. Even given his eclectic portfolio, Shekita's work is unified by his precise craftsmanship, with this particularly hefty Tomato rendition showcasing the carver's fluid line work. Replete with effortless, palm-filling substance, the bowl's gargantuan figure is formed by plump walls curving from the broad, sweeping heel toward the smooth, taut rim. Further accentuating the bowl's impressive size, the transition shows some subtle definition as it gives way to a hearty oval shank, which curls upward to meet a gently bent saddle stem, the arrangement possessed of a gradual taper throughout. As such, the shank and stem work with the bowl's slight forward urge to create a composition with a strong sense of momentum and a graceful gesture. The briar's vast expanse lends plenty of room to display Shekita's refined finishing work, with the stummel dressed in a crisp, ruby-tinged sandblast that reveals waves of rippling growth rings wrapping around the briar, in addition to a wealth of birdseye along the top and underside. Additionally, the base of the stem is adorned with a masur birch accent, adding a light contrast to this pipe's palette.