Larry Roush: Sandblasted Oversized Rhodesian with Silver (L3) (2635) Tobacco Pipe

Larry Roush is one of the most well-respected artisans in America, his career starting in the 90s as one of the foremost carvers of the American renaissance of pipe making. He values perfection above all else, demanding it in his shaping and in the grain quality of the briar he utilizes for his pieces, something that he learned from Mike Butera who supported him during his burgeoning years. Perhaps it was Roush himself who put this best when he said, "To short cut or deviate from these standards would not only be cheating the smoker and collector, but cheating ourselves." His dedication to quality and experience in the craft can be seen in this Rhodesian.

This profile is something of a signature for Roush, with us having seen a fair few renditions of the shape from the American carver throughout our tenure, many of which closely resemble this example's outline. This piece is designated by one distinct feature, however: It is the largest iteration of the Rhodesian that we've seen from Roush thus far, being designated "Oversized" thanks to its appreciable length of nearly six and a half inches and staggering breadth. The shank here is very trim in comparison to the bowl and stem, pushing out slightly from a wide transition and tapering to meet a band of silver at the junction where the stummel marries a sleek tapered stem of grey-blue vulcanite. The sleekness which pervades the aft end of this pipe not only lends the composition something of an aerodynamic look, but it places the vast majority of the visual weight squarely on the bowl, complementing the extra mass. This bowl sits atop a firm heel and flattened, sure-sitting underside, flaring out dramatically to a breadth of almost two and a half inches, overshadowing its height and providing an imposing, muscular presence in hand. This large bowl provides ample room to display the growth rings uncovered by the stummel's crisp, inky sandblast, its hues contrasted sharply by both the silver and the vulcanite at the aft end.