Tsuge Ikebana: Patially Sandblasted Billiard (Ohi) (F) (342) (2015) Tobacco Pipe

Ohi's shaping style is known for its complexity, but that doesn't mean the carver can't execute a simple, understated classic when the time calls for it. It certainly appeared to beckon here, with this bold, muscular Billiard shape. It's imbued with a robust distribution of proportion, with a pronounced, substantial bowl up front, followed by a thick, rounded shank and long tapered vulcanite stem, making for a briar of a stockier disposition, not unlike the Dunhill LB. It's finished in an affable partial sandblast, the bowl taking center stage to showcase a plethora of ultra-tight, craggily blasted rings, complemented by a warm, lighter stain at the shank. A wonderful rendition of the old favorite.