Partially Sandblasted Volcano with Silver Tobacco Pipe

Formerly known as the American Pipe Making Exposition, our annual Global Pipe Making Exposition features contributions from some of the world's foremost artisans, all united around a central theme. One of the most exciting events of the year for carvers, smokers, and enthusiasts of briar alike, the Global Exposition acts not only as a showcase for the immense talent of these artisans but as a focus for the boundless creativity that these masters of the art possess. For 2026, the theme of our Expo is "The Art of the Sandblast," celebrating the artistry and craftsmanship behind one of the most meticulous finishing techniques in pipe making. Through the sandblast, these artisans transform the natural grain of briar into textured works of art, highlighting the unique character of each block and demonstrating the artistry of the technique.

Trey Rice took up pipe smoking while on a camping trip in college and, finding out quickly that the hobby would cost him more than he could allow on a student's budget, set out to make his own pipe instead of buying one. He put off pipe making for a few years after leaving college but came back to it in 2017, helped in part when his grandfather's lathe was passed down to him. Trey draws inspiration from his undergraduate and graduate studies in the field of architecture, especially the principles of form and function. His contribution to this year's Expo is a veritable masterclass in form and function, an excellent rendition of the Samurai Volcano — a special shape common among Nashville-area artisans notable for its small spurs on the sides of the bowl's aft.

Trey left only the heel and the rim smooth on the briar that went into this Volcano, sandblasting the rest of the stummel and staining it darkly to emphasize some excellent ring grain and maximize the piece's visual appeal. The sandblast allows that grain a touch of depth that the fingers will definitely appreciate as they hold any part of the stummel. A slender ring of silver backs up the muscular, upturned shank, behind which is a dome-style saddle stem of vulcanite that stretches and bends on its way to the bit. Trey's smooth finish on the heel allows birdseye to be admired, as well, offering a rich contrast with the rest of the stummel. Trey's precision and dazzling use of the sandblast on this piece take a typically shaped Volcano and elevates it to something much greater — a functional piece of art.