Tsuge Ikebana: Sandblasted Reverse Calabash Acorn (Ohi) (G) (163) (2019) Tobacco Pipe

Tsuge Ikebana is a collective of artisan pipe makers that share a workshop and a name, but otherwise craft their pipes individually and completely by hand. The workshop has three members — Fukuda, Ohi, and Kikuchi — and each pipe bears a stamp with the name of the artisan that fashioned that particular piece. This Acorn comes from Yoshirou Ohi, who for many years was an independent pipe maker before joining Ikebana. His work showcases a proclivity for the organic and the stylish, and each pipe he crafts is imbued with his distinctive sense of proportions and his many years of experience.

Though measuring less than five inches in total length, this Acorn is a stout, muscular interpretation. The bulbous shaping of the bowl and the asymmetry of the flared rim give the design a weathered appearance, as if nature has whittled the briar to this shape through years of erosion. The bowl's downward taper and the pronounced, drooping heel are softened and subtle, further reinforcing the pipe's naturalistic shaping. The thick, rotund shank mirrors the appearance of the bowl, almost looking like an outgrowth, creating a sense of visual symmetry between the two ends of the pipe. The bridging transition is tight and muscular and allows for just a touch of negative space to slip in between the bowl and shank, allowing the eye to process them separately while still closely associating them. The shank houses a reverse Calabash chamber, which collects any excess moisture from the smoke, ensuring a cooler, drier smoking experience. A saddle stem of jet-black vulcanite plugs into that chamber and arcs gently toward the bit for a comfortable smoking posture. An earthy sandblast dresses the stummel and coaxes out rippling growth rings across the surface of the stummel for plenty of tactile and visual appeal.