Jared Coles: Sandblasted Pear (19) Tobacco Pipe

An inherently organic form, the Pear shape is typically characterized by its plump curves and high-set waistline but still enables artisan carver's the ability to put their own creative spin on it. Jared Coles here presents his own interpretation, maintaining the softly rounded and curvaceous Acorn-like bowl associated with the shape. The tight-knit transition sits tucked away underneath the bowl's bulging waistline, accentuating the bowl's chubbiness and forward-urging momentum in profile. The American artisan has treated the stummel to a tasteful sandblast, coaxing out a remarkable display of ring grain that emanates from the bowl's sweeping heel and creeps up the flanks before meeting the smooth polished rim. The sandblast is light in depth, preserving the bowl's curvaceousness and finished in a brownish-red contrast stain to showcase the briar's subtle nuances. The shank face has been sandblasted to match the stummel's texture, while the mortise is reinforced with an inset ring of brass for a mount-style tenon arrangement.