Jody Davis: Sandblasted Bent Dublin (Friar) (B24) (12) Tobacco Pipe

Jody Davis' Danish inclinations have been a pioneering force for contemporary American pipe design, the artisan himself drawing inspiration from Danish greats like Lars Ivarsson and Jess Chonowitsch to cultivate his own distinctive style. As such, Davis's portfolio shows a penchant for gestural pieces with a fluid sense of dynamism, a design philosophy showcased handsomely here. This bent Dublin by Jody Davis possesses a subtle yet palpable sense of forward momentum, aided by the bowl's ovoid figure as its walls flare from the sweeping heel toward the plump rim, eagerly contouring to the hand. A broad transition out back leaves plenty of room for the thumb to rest, giving way to a languidly curved shank and stem, the arrangement promoting a comfortable smoking posture. Additionally, the arrangement's gradual taper lends further visual weight to the bowl. As one of Davis's Friar-graded pieces, the stummel here wears a warm, rugged sandblast that reveals waves of rippling, tightly-packed growth rings wrapping around the bowl, its complexion complemented by the brindled, beige hues of the stem's vulcanite.