Jody Davis: Smooth Volcano with Ox Horn and Silver (Saint) (A24) (50) Tobacco Pipe

Member of Grammy Award-nominated and multi-Gold-Record-certified Christian Rock group Newsboys, Jody Davis is a profusely talented man, not only an actual rock star but one of the United States' most accomplished and widely celebrated artisan pipe carvers. Davis is a master pipe maker, and the skill he's acquired over his more than two decades working with briar affords him a richly varied portfolio whose style can range from classically Anglo-French or timelessly Danish to hearty, bold, and thoroughly American compositions. This Volcano strikes me as a pipe found at the intersection of the American and Japanese styles, with an impressive heartiness possessing its form that's tempered by an understated organicism. Coming in at nearly a quarter of a pound, this piece offers an imposing presence in hand, and its reach of more than six inches ensures that it stays the center of attention, whether it's smoked or displayed. The bowl is the immediate visual center of the composition, and it stands atop a broad, asymmetrical base rounded by a firm ridgeline, the surface of this base pushing out to offer a bit of curvature in the hand while its center is covered in craggy plateau. From this expansive underside, the walls start a lengthy taper to the rim, rising to over two inches tall and curving forward as they do: coming to a peak at the rim's smooth chamfer, where it overlooks a capacious chamber.

Out back, the transition is raised, set slightly above the base and giving way to an incredibly brief shank whose midsection is pinched, the scant remaining length flaring to meet a comparatively lengthy extension of horn. This horn extension continues the shank's subdued flare before terminating at a soft ridge and domed face, here inlaid with a ring of brass to make for a sturdy, push-style mount that pairs the stummel to a short saddle stem. Said stem features a slightly extended tenon and a firm expansion ring, which frames the negative space at the junction and pulls a bit of the visual weight away from the bowl, with the shoulders of its saddle bit extending out of the expansion ring before making a demure downturn. Dressing this piece is a warm, rich, walnut-toned contrast stain that unveils dense streaks of flame grain framing the shank and wrapping around the bowl in a nearly unbroken pattern, all while the underside reveals a roiling sea of birdseye.