Jared Coles: Smooth Bent Apple with Citrus Wood Tobacco Pipe

Jared Coles' history with pipes starts at his childhood, having been enamored with them ever since the first time he saw his grandfather smoking one. Appropriately, then, he came into the fold as a pipe smoker as soon as he turned 18, discovering the artisan world of pipes while he was in college and further engrossing himself in his passion. He formed the J&J Pipes workshop with friend John Klose after experimenting with pipe making himself, and for eight years they worked together before amicably dissolving the partnership to focus on his own work. The breadth of styles that Coles has explored spans the world, and he draws inspiration from all of these schools of design when crafting his pipes, something which can be seen in this bent Apple.

We've seen a fair few bent Apples from Coles in the past, many of which are, or are at least adjacent to, traditional interpretations. This piece, however, most certainly is not. The bowl here sits atop a lifting heel, with said heel's shaping informed by the plunging line of the shank's underside as it rises while ebbing toward its flaring end. This shank pushes out from a transition wide enough to drape a digit, its upward curve poising a trim saddle stem for comfortable smoking and easy jaw-hanging. A broad accent of light citrus wood adorns the stem base here, its organic material merging with the stem's vulcanite as Coles has carved them into a split stem formation which immediately draws the eye one it's noticed. The shank's flare reaches its zenith at the face, and here Coles has taken care to hollow out all but a thin, undulating ring around the circumference of the shank, allowing the stem to nestle inside and create a stepped silhouette that furthers the appeal of the aft end. Up front, the bowl rises to a low-set waist from its lifted heel, its waist marking the start of an arcing taper to the inward-sloping rim. The walls of this bowl are wonderfully plump, presenting with ample roundness and lent a good degree of forward momentum thanks to the impressive taper present at the aft side. The outline here is reminiscent of both the Scoop and the Tomato, with a charming, squat build and thick, broad walls surrounding the chamber. Dressing this piece is a vibrant auburn contrast stain that unveils a dense array of wrapping flame grain throughout the flanks, the underside covered in a vast plain of birdseye, all while the citrus wood accented stem provides understated contrast.