Jody Davis: Sandblasted Bent Bulldog with Spalted Tamarind (A23) (20) Tobacco Pipe

American artisan Jody Davis has carved fine pipes for decades, cultivating a Danish-inflected style that helped popularize the shapes and features of that school in the contemporary American briar vernacular. This bent Bulldog is one of only a few renditions of the classic shape we've received from Davis in recent years, making it of great interest to fans of the artisan's work with an affinity for the robust design. This example is quite hearty in hand, in keeping with Davis's typically full-bodied work. The bowl rests on a firm heel, with walls that flare gradually as the approach the twin beadlines that delineate the gently domed rim. The upper portion of the bowl possesses most of substance in this design, creating a perfect jaw-hanging balance with the rest of the composition. Out back, a diamond shank stretches out to meet a bent vulcanite saddle stem accented with a broad section of spalted tamarind. The crisp lines of the shank add a touch of structure to this piece and help to define the heel, creating visual and structural balance in perfect harmony. Dressed in a rich ruby sandblast, the stummel boasts finely textured ring grain all around the bowl, with handsome blasted birdseye around the rim.