Ikebana Smooth Bent Brandy (B) Tobacco Pipe

This modestly sized, rather light weight, and delicately framed Tsuge Ikebana is simply gorgeous. From the perfectly shaped bowl to the slender shank and sleek, elongated saddle stem, the piece feels as balanced in hand as its composition visually suggests. The glossy finish and high-contrast stain rakes out a really nice combination of straight grain and flame grain, particularly alongside the left side of the bowl and most notably on each side of the shank. Take a look at the underside of the pipe and you'll find rich, mottled birdseye that extends from the heel of the bowl to the shank terminus. All together this bent Brandy is really well composed, attractively grained, very balanced, with clean, even transitions throughout; it's a fantastic example of the Ikebana line.

-- Ted Swearingen