Askwith: Sandblasted Bulldog with Laburnum Tobacco Pipe

English carver Chris Askwith has a penchant for crafting artisanal renditions of old Anglo-French pipe-chart standards, which he modernizes through his use of vibrant palettes, eclectic accents, and unique finishes. The results are simply gorgeous, as evidenced by this Bulldog. Proportionally well-balanced and thoroughly traditional, this piece boasts a comfortable in-hand presence, with ample space above the transition to drape a digit. Up front, a plump bowl stands atop a firm heel and grows sturdy walls that flare to a broad, beadline-wrapped waistline, and then taper inward to a flat rim. A brawny diamond shank brings up the aft and extends outward to a broad accent of laburnum. This accent adds a silky texture to the otherwise rugged stummel and offers inky grain that radiates toward a slender tapered stem. The stummel's dark sandblast draws out pronounced grain across the bowl and shank alike, the finish's shadowy complexion harmonizing with the stem's dark hues.