Sandblasted Rhodesian with Silver (S5) (2549) Tobacco Pipe

The iconic design language of Larry Roush is immediately evident in this straight Rhodesian, with a bold, palm-filling bowl, exaggerated taper of shank-and-stem, and the exquisite silverwork and gnarly sandblasting he is famous for. Roush is one of the godfathers of American pipe making, having gotten his start in silverwork and jewelry before making pipes under the tutelage of living legend Mike Butera. Butera had previously visited Italy to learn pipe crafting methods from the Italian masters and taught Roush how to make pipes in exchange for learning Roush's silverwork technique. Now, after several decades of perfecting his craft, Roush's design cues continue to display an Italian lineage, and he has developed quite a reputation with his often bowl-centric, exaggerated proportions and stunning sandblasts. His pipes are immediately recognizable from across a room and in high demand from collectors who seek striking beauty, a bold aesthetic, superb craftsmanship, and excellent smoking properties.

This Rhodesian is similar to several we have seen from Roush before, a shape adored by his fans and one he is quite adept at crafting. The bowl is stout, boasting thick walls like many of his designs to insulate the chamber for a comfortable, highly efficient smoking apparatus. The choice is an excellent one here, working in concert with a waistline quite high compared to most Rhodesians to create a broad, gently conical upper portion almost flat enough to be considered all rim, a perfect place to display a forest of stunning blasted birdseye. The bowl's flanks taper in keeping with the shape's characteristics, but gradually, giving ample surface to display more of Roush's skill in the blasting cabinet, this time in rippling horizontal growth rings that spread from the transition's underside to climb both bowl and shank.

The stummel is only waxed to allow the natural hues of patinaton to create bespoke coloration as the pipe is smoked, accentuating the crisp sandblast and contrasting well with the dramatic taper and swirls of a green and black, hand-cut vulcanite stem. All of Larry's pipes feature his famous hand-crafted silverwork, a reputation upheld here with an exquisite, rippling silver band at the shank end. A healthy piece of briar, this piece provides a stimulating presence in hand, with plenty for the eye and finger pads to explore. Both inside and out, every facet of the pipe displays a level of craftsmanship that must be held and smoked to be fully appreciated, making it a fitting centerpiece to any collection.