IMP Meerschaum: Smooth Billiard with Silver (with Case) Tobacco Pipe

The Billiard is a timeless shape, a profile that graces the charts of manufacturers worldwide, one with a storied history and distinct stylistic cues that are, unfortunately, seldom recognized when rendered in traditional form by carvers of meerschaum pipes. IMP has done a good job of making sure that their traditional work is recognized, not because of superfluous filigree, but because of the sheer expertise on display in shaping. The stem is a cobalt acrylic saddle with single expansion ring just before a circlet of silver, matching the band around the shank end. The shaping of the stummel is stellar, the transition smooth, and the bowl full and bulbous, canted forward playfully, evoking the style of a Cutty. The heel is sweeping and fluid, and the overall silhouette is alluring and regal. The contrasting color palette provides plenty of visual intrigue and the prospect of future patination is tantalizing.