Tsuge Ikebana: Sandblasted Bent Egg (Fukuda) (G) (059) (2021) Tobacco Pipe

Since Danish legend Sixten Ivarsson started the artisan pipe-making movement with his "shape-first, drill-second" methodology, talented craftspeople from around the world have further developed the craft, a select few devotees even traveling to Denmark to learn the nuances of the skill from the Danish greats firsthand. One of the very first to travel to learn at Sixten's workshop was one Kazuhiro Fukuda. Fukuda is a Japanese pipe artisan who now has many decades of experience and is recognized as one of the best pipe makers in the world, his influence present in nearly every corner of artisanal pipe culture.

While devoted to mastering his skill, Kazuhiro did not keep his techniques to himself, instead overseeing the famed Ikebana workshop within Japanese pipe maker Tsuge, Ikebana meaning "living flower," and quite apt to describe the organic beauty of Fukuda's style. He mentored a select few promising artisans, and the talented Asami Kikuchi eventually became his formal apprentice and is now an Ikebana pipe maker.

These days, getting an Ikebana pipe made by Fukuda himself is a rare treat, and this supple Egg speaks volumes about his skill and experience. A gestural, forward-ebbing bowl speaks quietly of organicism, easing softly into a broad teardrop shaped shank, with negative space above the transition perfect for thumb draping. His attention to detail is evident everywhere, but especially in the grain orientation and finish, as he has shaped perfectly according to the natural grain to bring out rippling growth rings that cascade down the bowl. An ink-black stain dresses the delightful texture, and unifies well with a gently bent saddle stem of hand-shaped vulcanite. Remarkable work here, and with a wealth of history packed into it, this one will be hard to pass up for any discerning collector.