Sandblasted Apple with Bamboo (Kikuchi) (010) (2026) Tobacco Pipe

Tsuge's Ikebana line stands as the pinnacle of the company's artisan tradition — its name drawn from the Japanese art of floral arrangement, where balance, form, and organic beauty converge. At one time, Asami Kikuchi, Yoshirou Ohi, and Kazuhiro Fukuda collaborated in the workshop. However, Asami Kikuchi is now the sole remaining carver, using the expertise imparted from past craftsmen to carry on the Ikebana tradition. Her path to Tsuge was marked by years of artistic training, culminating in an apprenticeship under Kazuhiro Fukuda, himself a former student of the legendary Sixten Ivarsson. The workshop's creations seamlessly blend Japanese artistry with the flowing lines and organic forms often associated with Danish artisan design.

This Apple is a beautiful example of Kikuchi's work, presenting a well-balanced composition centered around a plump, softly rounded bowl. True to the shape's namesake, the bowl's full flanks provide a comfortable feel in hand while naturally drawing the eye to the fore of the composition. A slender shank extends from the bowl before giving way to four warm bamboo knuckles, their trim proportions creating an elegant contrast against the bowl's fuller figure. The stem features a subtle expansion just beyond the junction, mirroring the bowl's rounded form and lending the composition a pleasing sense of balance. Dressing the stummel is a crisp sandblast that reveals tightly stacked growth rings climbing the bowl's flanks. An inky black stain pairs beautifully with the warm hues of the bamboo, creating a striking bookended effect alongside the black vulcanite stem.