David Huber: Smooth Bent Brandy (5024) Tobacco Pipe

An American carver based out of North Carolina, David Huber boasts an expansive portfolio that ranges from subtly muscular takes on Danish classics to more individualistic designs that experiment with exaggerated proportions and asymmetrical shaping. This bent Brandy is a fairly conservative example of Huber's craftsmanship, though it possesses some subtle embellishments that evoke his more playful and experimental offerings. As is characteristic for the shape, the pipe's fore sees a plump, full-bodied bowl resting atop a wide, ample heel. Said heel is dramatically pronounced, bringing to mind the chin-like bases of certain Italian pipes, and from this heel, the bowl begins to taper, the walls comprising it gradually narrowing as they approach the rim. Unlike usual takes on the form, these walls don't rise in a consistent, linear fashion. Instead, they narrow at a subtle angle that gives the totality of the bowl, when viewed from the smoker's perspective, a pronounced rightward lean. This alteration gives the entire form a lopsided dynamism that's balanced and accentuated by the more straightforward shank-and-stem arrangement. The shank and stem imbue the shape with a hint of Danish sinuosity and keep the aft of the composition fairly streamlined, their gradual curvature additionally promoting a comfortable smoking posture. A rich, smoky smooth finish rounds out this piece and highlights a breathtaking array of grain, with tight ribbons of flame rising across the briar's flanks.