Tsuge Ikebana: Smooth Freehand (Kikuchi) (G) (092) (2018) Tobacco Pipe

Meaning "living flowers" and named in reference to Japan's lauded flower-arrangement art form, Tsuge's Ikebana workshop comprises three artisans who individually carve pipes under the Ikebana name. A similar, organic aesthetic often unites the workshop's pipes, regularly showcasing distinctively Japanese interpretations of Danish shapes, yet each carver retains their own personal design style, with this particular piece fashioned by Asami Kikuchi.

Many of Kikuchi's Ikebana designs often reveal sleek and slender design cues or plump, organic shaping. This Freehand strays slightly from those artistic conventions in favor a singular design, yet one that's been a staple of the Ikebana workshop for years. The design emphasizes the shank, which appears like a basin gracefully cupping the pipe's bowl. Crisp ridgelines mark the separation between this basin motif and the bowl, and said ridges run in parallel at the fore before flaring toward the shank end. The top of the shank reveals a concave design to match the heels broad, convex nature, and such shaping is a feat of craftsmanship, requiring intense and difficult sanding of every facet and curve. It's also the perfect design to show off the briar's natural grain, showcasing a sea of birdseye along the underside while vertical grain frames the squat bowl.