Peter Heding: Smooth Sphinx (Diamond) Tobacco Pipe

My first thoughts at looking at this Heding were that there was something vaguely Edward Burak-ish lying underneath everything, "everything" meaning an outer style that was a mix of architectural planes and precision, and yet also the wild liveliness of the Japanese school's organic asymmetry. but without any asymmetry actually coming into play at all. In other words I was a bit confused, and not really sure how to describe it. That I like it and think it is lovely, design-wise, seemed a little too vague a way to sum up a Diamond grade. Saying that Peter really took things far in coming up with his own Sphinx, distinct from the original by Bo Nordh, seemed like stating the obvious. The framing edges towards the rear of the bowl are there, as is a subtle suggestion of roundness projecting forward; but that's about all that is common between them.

I will say this: here Heding came up with a shape that had me interested enough that I didn't even really notice the grain much at first. And considering just how ridiculous the grain on this briar is, that's saying something. Flame, birdseye, everywhere; all of it perfectly positioned.

- Eric N. Squires