Sandblasted Chubby Belge with Jeweler's Cut Silver (S4) (2523) Tobacco Pipe

Larry Roush's style is one of the most distinctive in pipe making, often favoring large, muscular bowls paired to dramatically tapering shank-and-stem combinations. That approach is applied to this chubby Belge, displaying a gestural, Horn-like stance with the towering bowl garnering much of the visual weight thanks to the gradual taper from the transition to the lip button. The half saddle stem adds a playfully subtle accenting touch in profile that doesn't distract from the other impressive elements on display. The blast is craggy, well-defined, and endlessly fascinating in hand with waves of ring grain radiating from the lifted heel and climbing the bowl's flanks. The stummel's jet-black stain is expertly paired to a brindled vulcanite stem with its mix of yellow and black tones calling to mind images of pollen on a pond's surface during springtime.

The silverwork on this piece is particularly noteworthy and is the first of its kind we've received from the American artisan. Larry calls this new silverwork style his "Jeweler's Cut" technique, the sterling silver band cut with diagonal grooves, each scallop individually filed with a jeweler's file before being polished and finally press fit. Roush described the demanding process as a "labor of love," and it expertly showcases his ability to continually expand upon his remarkable talents, resulting in a pipe that's full of visual elegance and destined to provide years of enjoyment.