Dirk Heinemann: Sandblasted Tuban with Birch

An impressively minimalist design, Dirk Heinemann's Tuban is a compact shape that exemplifies the German carver's creativity. Tom Eltang is known for his signature Tubos, and Heinemann has his Tuban. It was initially conceived after the German artisan was experimenting with the Rhodesian shape, sketching out various shank designs that experimented with its length, breadth, and degree of bend. After taking a well-deserved break, Dirk came back to his drawings with fresh eyes and realized that the Rhodesian's shank could actually be a shape itself.

This Tuban is the result of that process, displaying a cylindrical bowl that runs along a gradual, continuous curve. Over the years Heinemann has tweaked his design, presenting it in varying finish and color combinations, but this particular rendition is among the most attractive yet. It's been finished in a dark, texturally intriguing sandblast that's handsomely understated and a perfect choice for such a minimalist shape. It's then tastefully topped off with a generous mount of birch, displaying some fascinating grain of its own.