Ken Dederichs: Partially Sandblasted Mushroom Tobacco Pipe

Ken Dederichs' fondness for organic, Freehand-like shapes is on full display with this unique, eye-catching Mushroom design. The Germany-based, Japanese carver has a low annual production rate, as he prizes quality over quantity, so it is always a welcome sight to see one of the carver's designs. Dederichs has crafted a number of different iterations of the Mushroom shape in the past, and it's easy to see why: It's the perfect shape for him to articulate his affinity for stout proportions and supple curves. Though curvaceous in profile, with a consistent undercurve and a shank that flows easily from the bowl, this piece offers some firm, pronounced lines that keep the design muscular and structured. The ridgelines across either flank of the oval shank curl upwards and meet the wrapping ridgeline just below the domed rim. The trajectory and terminating point of the shank's ridgelines accentuate the lifted heel and fluid nature of the pipe in profile. The lifted heel gives the bowl a gestural poise and a forward-surging momentum that keeps the overall shape dynamic. The aft of the bowl and top of the shank wear a dark sandblast that highlights some impressive growth rings and lends a tactile character to the overall form. The rest of composition, however, wears a stunning smooth finish that showcases gorgeous birdseye and flame grain across the rim and the underside of the stummel.