Peter Heding: Smooth Blowfish (Diamond) Tobacco Pipe

Three years after discovering the satisfaction of pipe carving, two of those years spent learning the craft in the workshop of Tom Eltang, Peter Heding resigned from the laboratory where he was a molecular biologist to pursue his love for pipes. That event transpired in 2006, and he continues to excel with each passing year. This Blowfish carries Heding's "Diamond" stamp, designating his highest grade in terms of briar, design, and execution, and is identified by a Zirconia diamond on the underside of the shank.

Asymmetrical, as expected of the Blowfish shape, its left side is more broad than its right, each comprising a domed disk of mesmerizing birdseye separated by flattened panels running along the near side to the far side, which are populated by horizontal grain. The shank tapers from the bowl to the stem, its upper curve extended by the base of the stem, which lifts upward before its brisk reduction to half-saddle configuration. The sides of that shank are gently curved and feature the same birdseye as the flanks, with the upper and lower portions flattened to highlight even more wonderful horizontal grain. It's a remarkable rendition by one of the most talented carvers living today, and we're fortunate that pipes like this one exist, as it presents a standard of quality few can attain.