Tsuge Ikebana: Smooth Acorn (Fukuda) (M) (167) (2017) Tobacco Pipe

Ikebana translates to "living flowers," and is a reference to the highest form of the Japanese art of flower arrangement. The prestigiously named Tsuge Ikebana is Tsuge's premier workshop, and three artisans work there: Asami Kikuchi, Yoshirou Ohi, and Kazuhiro Fukuda. They make every pipe by hand, showcasing distinctively Japanese interpretations of Danish shapes, and each maker possesses their own unique style.

This Acorn by Kazuhiro Fukuda of Tsuge Ikebana possesses a particularly plump bowl, its supple walls arcing upwards into an inflated rim that frames a tidy chamfer to the chamber. Furthermore, this rendition of the Acorn is bereft of the shape's iconic, sharp heel; rather, the underside forms a gentle, lifting curve that extends through the transition and shank. Oppositely, the top of the transition features some subtle cheeking before the shank flares outward, with the shank face being ever-so-slightly inflated for a superbly subtle parallel with the rim. The stem base showcases a crisp ring of vulcanite before tapering into a slim, demurely bent saddle that concludes at a trim button. Additionally, the stummel highlights a sensational grain pattern: rippling wisps of flame grain rise up the ebbing walls and explode into a dazzling cluster of birdseye on the rim, all dressed in vivid detail by a chestnut smooth finish.