Sandblasted Tomato Tobacco Pipe

Chinese artisan Lan Zhenjun started his career in graphic design but eventually left the field to be a full-time pipe maker. He takes particular inspiration from Danish masters of the craft, including Bo Nordh and Jorn Micke, but has also worked with a wide array of Chinese artisans, including Ping Zhan, Sam Cui, and Li Zhesong.

This Tomato of Lan's is fronted with a rotund bowl appearing very much in profile like its titular food, relatively flat on the top with consistent curving walls that form a squat oval. The stummel is sandblasted to draw out the growth rings that cross the lovely flame grain, which is drawn out beautifully with a warm mahogany stain. The shank flares lightly outward on its way back to the saddle stem of vulcanite, which is fronted by short shoulders that hold the bent mouthpiece with its light taper back to the bit. The fluidity of Lan's design is remarkable, the curves all falling together gracefully to form a Tomato that is just as sinuous on the shank and stem as it is on the bowl.