Flávia Rodrigues: Smooth Freehand Bent Dublin with Jacaranda Tobacco Pipe

Inspired by the work of her partner Gustavo Cunha, the artisan behind MarTelo pipes, Flávia Rodrigues began to carve pipes of her own, starting her path as a pipe maker by crafting a classic English Billiard. In a way this guided her further in her now career, as much of her portfolio is made up of these timeless shapes, making this Freehand-style bent Dublin a true rarity for her.

The flow of line throughout this piece is quite delightful, with a gentle curvature ebbing through the shank and stem that's guided by an octet of ridgelines pushing out from the transition. These ridges not only firm up the outline of the shank and stem, but introduce that firmness as a contrasting element against the otherwise supple and soft curvature of this pipe. The stem is gently downturned, enhancing that curvature, and meets the shank at a trim band of darkly stained jacaranda wood. There's a soft, fluid S-curve throughout the body of this pipe, and this is truly emphasized by the stummel's underside, as the slightly lifted shank rises swiftly at the rounded heel to build the fore wall of the bowl. Said bowl is quite comfortable in the hand, and the wide transition allows a thumb to drape easily, enhancing this in-hand feel as the walls flare out to a ridge that marks a slight, sudden taper to the rim. Dressing the briar here is a warm ruby contrast stain, unveiling dense, wrapping flame grain through the flanks and around the bowl, while the rim and both sides of the shank reveal a wealth of birdseye.