David Huber: Sandblasted Blowfish with Bakelite (0622) Tobacco Pipe

David Huber's progression in the craft has been a treat to watch, the American artisan originally inspired to try to make a pipe from a pipe kit in 2010. It took him two years to finish that first pipe, I am guessing because he wanted to make it perfect, and he fell in love with the craft. Since then, he has progressed rapidly, winning awards for his work and building out an impressive portfolio replete with American interpretations of Danish classics and sculptural, artistic renditions like this Blowfish.

A charming, compact rendition of the shape, this example curls tightly at the transition, offering a profile evocative of a fish flipping its tail, and keeping the pipe in Nosewarmer length. It's a clever design, as it manages to keep the weight light yet house a generous chamber, with the rim making me think of a fish's mouth, hungry for tobacco. The central panel that defines the shape is biased here, following the grain perfectly to accentuate rippling growth rings across the center and packed blasted birdseye on both flanks. The dark sandblast commends the briar's grain handsomely, and is contrasted by a bespoke Bakelite stem of swirling cream and chocolate hues for a striking aesthetic.