Ken Dederichs: Sandblasted Bent Egg Tobacco Pipe

A beautiful fusion of soft Danish lines, muscular German proportions, and Ken's own artistic flair, this bent Egg from Dederichs cuts a powerful, dynamic silhouette in profile — the strong forward cant of the bowl and restrained S-curve creating the illusion of fast, forward-rushing momentum. On closer inspection, the light, lifting heel and pronounced cheeks to either flank remind me of some of Heeschen's work with this shape, only with a stouter, tighter-knit style of transition and a bit of flourish to the shank. Though barely noticeable when viewed in profile, this style of broad, oval shank is something of a signature from the German-based Japanese carver, characterized by its strong, pronounced flare in the cross-section as it approaches the mouthpiece, in turn softened by doming the shank face. Fitting to its muscular form, Ken's finished this one in a low-profile, extra dark, Danish-style sandblast, keeping the lines smooth and well-defined while still bringing out an impressive display of grain.

- Andrew Wike