Jody Davis: Sandblasted Stemless Bulldog (Friar) (A17) (06) Tobacco Pipe

Seeing as Jody Davis was the American pipemaker to popularize fashioning pipes with split stems (those which are made using one material inlaid with another), it's no wonder he presented us with a take on his signature stemless design for our 2017 American Exposition. It's essentially a one-piece pipe, with a vulcanite bit embedded directly into the shank, resulting in a modernist rendition of an old world style of design, appropriate for the firm-lined shape it adorns. As for said shape, it's a low, sleek, and streamlined take on the Bulldog, another signature of Jody's, and a fitting contrast to the pastoral finish it wears: a warm, walnut-stained sandblast with no shortage of birdseye, rippling rings, or charm. Needless to say, Jody's pipes don't usually hang around for very long, and this briar makes it quite evident why.

- Daniel Bumgardner