Askwith: Sandblasted Morta Magnum Billiard with Bamboo Tobacco Pipe

A generously-proportioned Billiard from Chris Askwith, this is a piece that really brings together some of the things we love from the maker. A classic shape, a crisp sandblast, and some refined English style go into this piece, though that is where the traditional aesthetic ends. From there, the rest of the piece falls neatly into Chris's "classics for extroverts" style — from its sheer scale, dwarfing almost every other pipe I've seen from the carver, to its unique materials, it's an unusual piece all around. The bowl is morta, its sandblasted texture ensuring a crisp feel in hand, and the semi-petrified material making for a piece that's as light as can be. The shank, likewise, emphasizes this lightness — despite the large stature of the shape, the combination of long, smooth bamboo with no knuckles, as well as the lightweight morta, confirm it's no trouble to carry around, and the pale coloring of the bamboo, with its streaks of darker shades, serves as a tidy complement to the darkness of both the bowl and the stem. It's a stunning piece all around, and some excellent work from Chris.