Chris Asteriou: Sandblasted Lovat with Silver (17/19) Tobacco Pipe

I was blessed with the opportunity to meet Chris Asteriou at this year's Chicagoland Pipe Show. Along with his congenial nature and incredibly kindhearted personality, I was struck by the realization that I never saw the Greek carver wear anything that strayed from a black and gray color palette (a very classy, refined fashion statement, to say the least). Such an observation has given great insight and context into his popular renditions of English classics as, more often than not, such pieces are adorned in a similarly refined, all-black color palette. This Lovat is one such piece. With a touch more height added to the bowl, the profile draws attention to the dark palette, the gorgeous sandblast bringing out the briar's natural ring grain reminiscent of those extra-craggy blasts seen on vintage English pieces. For the cherry on top, Asteriou has fitted the shank end with a generous band of sterling silver, and the innermost portion of the rim has been neatly chamfered and ruby-stained for quite the handsome dress pipe.