Tsuge Ikebana: Smooth Acorn with Bamboo (Kikuchi) (G) (011) (2023) 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 was crafted by Tsuge Ikebana's Asami Kikuchi. This piece features one of my favorite pipe accents: a bamboo-extended shank. The arrow-straight stalk joins to a stubby briar shank, a subtle design cue but one that elongates the profile while still keeping the stretch of bamboo proportional to both the bowl and the stem. Therefore, the bamboo shank makes this piece exceptionally lithe while still retaining en eye-pleasing compositional balance, a rather remarkable effect. Additionally, Kikuchi has paid special attention to the bamboo here, utilizing a metal ring embedded around the mortise and a metal tenon to increase durability. Moreover, the bowl' shaping is exquisite here as well, the supple walls flaring from the tight heel to a high-set waistline before gently tapering to the chamfered inner rim with elegant softness. The chestnut stain on the bowl's walls showcase wavy tendrils of flame grain that are bookended by tightly-packed swirls of birdseye on the demure heel and limber rim, offering a prestigious counterpart to the rustic aesthetic of the bamboo shank.