Askwith: Rusticated Bent Pot Tobacco Pipe

Chris Askwith is one of England's few artisan pipe carvers, getting his start in carving by repairing and restoring estate pipes for his own use, before joining a pipe club in 2007 and meeting Paul Hubbard of Larrysson pipes. Hubbard afforded Chris the opportunity to craft his first pipe, and let Askwith use his workshop to create several more after that, before Chris kitted out his own and started his career, merging the classic with the contemporary in playful fashion. This unique style can be seen plainly in this bent Pot which is reminiscent of Dunhill's "15" shape in one of their larger group sizes, presenting with a consistently tapering shank and stem that lend the aft portion of this piece a handsome sleekness. Said stem is a colorful stretch of demurely curved polyester that is rife with swirling hues of salmon and white, its posture quite well-suited for comfortable smoking. In addition, the tapered arrangement of this stem contributes to a consistent undercurve throughout the composition, magnifying the flow of its lines quite nicely and leading the eye to the bowl. Said bowl is firm and upright, sitting upon a sweeping heel which gives the fore some nice curvature and supports the straight upward growth of the thick, insulating walls before they reach a softly inflated rim. Dressing the briar here is a craggy, tan-stained rustication that offers plenty of texture in hand and complements the stem quite well, affording this piece a unified and modern aesthetic.