Martelo: Smooth Canadian Tobacco Pipe

Gustavo Cunha is no stranger to long-shanked compositions, and here he pushes that envelope further with a classic Canadian almost eight inches long, with a bowl of slender aspect, beautifully proportioned against the low, oval shank. It's remarkably traditional aside from the emphasis on length. The heel is somewhat lifted but with understatement, and the transition is low, contributing to the independence of the bowl.

There's a bit of a Danish character to the bowl in contrast to English shape-chart standards, with more curvature and roundness to the flanks and a slightly exaggerated inward curve from the waist to the flat rim. The vertical grain is tight and consistent, highlighted by the contrast stain of crimson and black. But most obvious is the stupendously long shank. On many Canadians, even of normal length, one finds that the shank begins tapering as it reaches to the stem. But here, especially noticeable from an aerial view, the shank maintains its proportions and extend into the stem, which continues the theme. Personally, that element is among the most important when assessing a Canadian, and few are the craftsmen as adept as Gustavo Cunha.