Trey Rice: Sandblasted Acorn with Ivorite Tobacco Pipe

With a background in woodworking and a sharp eye for detail, Trey Rice creates striking pipes that blend American, Danish, and English shaping traditions into something uniquely his own. An architect by profession and a skilled pipe artisan, Rice crafts his pipes from his workshop just outside Fort Worth, Texas. His designs often draw from the classic forms of English and Danish pipes, but his architectural precision and sense of proportion give each piece a clean, refined aesthetic. His work is grounded in shape-chart classics and artisan staples, with a focus on fine accent work and meticulous shaping. This Acorn is one of the more understated in Rice's collection. Unlike the shape's typical heel spur, this Acorn features a rounded, Apple-like bowl with a slightly higher waistline closer to the rim. Subtle cheeking along the transition accentuates the bowl's robust contours and forward-canted posture. The piece is solid and robust in hand, with a subtle flare to the shank that echoes the shaping of Danish pipes. A pale Ivorite accent at the shank end contrasts beautifully with the ruby hue of the stummel, adding an element of refinement. Finished in a rich sandblast, the stummel reveals striking grain, while the hand-cut cumberland stem adds a touch of complexity to the color palette.