Sandblasted Bent Billiard with Wave Finish Silver (S5) (2672) Tobacco Pipe

Larry Roush's pipe-making career was born from his love for pipe smoking. Even before he took up the craft, Roush leveraged his background as a jeweler and silversmith to make accents for the pipes in his rotation. He eventually began making pipes entirely by hand, receiving instruction early on from American artisan Mike Butera. Roush's work is typically marked by his ornate silverwork, hand-cut vulcanite stems, and extra-craggy sandblasts, all of which are present on this bent Billiard.

Shape-wise, this bent Billiard boasts a rather unique build, appearing almost like an amalgamation of various other designs. The bowl, for instance, boasts the Poker's flat, sure-sitting heel, but its height and capacious chamber call to mind the Stack shape. The shank-and-stem arrangement, too, is unique, its aquiline curvature evoking the gestural posture of the Hawkbill shape. That being said, this piece is distinctly Roush, both in fit and finish, possessing a unique character all its own, and one doesn't have to look farther than finish to see evidence of that fact. Said finish is an impeccable sandblast that's drawn out tight bands of growth rings on all sides of the bowl, lending a wealth of rich texture to the briar and creating a stimulating in-hand presence. Roush has then accented this piece with one of his striking silver bands, which is adorned with his signature wave finish. It's all topped off by a colorful brindled stem whose warm complexion complements the hues of the smoothly polished rim.