Flávia Rodrigues: Sandblasted Author with Copper Tobacco Pipe

Flávia Rodrigues' penchant for taking classic shapes and re-interpreting them through her own expert engineering, remarkable finishes, and frequent use of non-traditional accenting materials is outstanding. The Brazilian carver has certainly come into her own, having received tutelage from Gustavo Cunha of MarTelo pipes and studying the works of Tom Eltang, Hans "Former" Nielsen, Becker, and Chris Asteriou. Then, of course, there's her natural skill set, all of which culminate in her pipes being highly sought after, which this handsome Author is certain to be.

The Author is a chubby, charming and most assuredly classic shape that's not often seen much nowadays, making this piece from the Brazilian artisan a most welcome sight. It's the first such shape we've received from her and is quite compact in size, being a bit more than four inches in total length. Wandering into Nosewarmer territory, this pipe is compressed and muscular for its size, presenting a plump, broad base, supple contours and a graceful taper to the rim. Combining Danish and English shaping cues, it's possessed of a high-set transition and stout, rounded shank, at the end of which is a bright copper accent, a testament to Rodrigues' aforementioned fondness for utilizing unusual materials in her work. The carver's skills are again on display given the well-executed, rustic sandblast, which showcases stunning, tight stacks of ring grain, the hues complemented by those of the copper fitment. It's all topped by a jet-black, vulcanite saddle stem, which should prove comfortable for clenching.