Sandblasted Erotique (41) (2025) Tobacco Pipe

Leveraging a background in architecture and urban planning, Li Zhesong produces meticulously rendered shapes inspired by Japanese and Danish pipe making. Producing fewer than one hundred pipes annually, his limited output reflects an unwavering commitment to precision and quality, both in engineering and aesthetics. This Erotique stands as a compelling example of Zhesong's impeccable craftsmanship and his affinity for classic artisan forms.

Originally conceived by Jørn Micke, the Erotique is a distinctly artisan shape — one absent from traditional shape charts and instead born of the handmade tradition pioneered by Sixten Ivarsson. It is among a select group of forms synonymous with the "shape first, drill second" philosophy, demanding exceptional precision and a highly trained eye. Zhesong's interpretation leans noticeably more muscular and structured than many others, with a broad, deeply creased valley defining the bowl's fore, aft, and rim, framed on either side by crisp, assertive ridgelines.

The bowl itself is rendered in a more Dublin-like manner than is typical for the shape, its thick walls rising from a firm heel to a wide, full rim. At the rear, an upturned shank and demurely curved saddle balance the bowl in profile and impart a subtle curvature to the overall composition. A crisp sandblast completes the pipe, revealing rugged grain throughout the stummel, with luxurious birdseye gracing the rim and concentric ring grain radiating along the bowl's flanks.