J. Alan: Smooth Mushroom Sitter (1613) Tobacco Pipe

The Mushroom is a playful shape, but don't mistake its playfulness for a lapse in serious craftsmanship and remarkable execution. This example from Jeff Gracik of J. Alan pipes is an asymmetrical rendition replicating the asymmetry found in nature, especially that found among natural mushrooms. The cap is broad and domed, drifting downward more prominently on the left side than on the right. Below that rim, tight, vertical grain follows the tapering of the bowl in near geometric perfection.

A bit of non-natural but enticing structure is introduced for the heel, which is flat and crisply ridged for a base that easily accommodates a sitting posture — for the pipe, not for you, though you're welcome to sit as well. The transition is reminiscent of those often found in the Oom Paul shape, with the shank rising up in concert with the near side of the bowl and meeting another asymmetrical dome at the shank end. And yet more subtle asymmetry is provided by a single expansion ring near the base of the stem, which itself rises dramatically in a winsome curve. It's a stunning piece, remarkable in the design skills and vision of its maker, who happens to be one of the finest pipe makers alive.