Luiz Lavos: Smooth Dublin with Ivorite Tobacco Pipe

Brazilian artisan Luiz Lavos developed an appreciation for woodworking early on in his grandfather's workshop. That appreciation led Luiz to later pursue a career in pipe carving, spending time in Portugal to study with Sabina Santos, learning from others, such as Hans "Former" Nielsen, along the way. Now operating his own workshop in Brazil, Lavos creates excellent smoking pipes that draw heavily on the Danish school.

This Dublin is a fine example of Lavos's style, featuring a broad, thick-walled bowl that rests on a jutting heel, while the walls flare slightly as they travel toward a domed rim, delineated by a firm ridgeline, displaying a gentle forward cant that creates a subtle dynamism in the composition. Out back, a tight transition gives way to a low-lying oval shank, creating a balanced weight while still emphasizing the hearty bowl. Said shank joins an abbreviated saddle stem of black vulcanite, inlaid with a bright white accent of streaked Ivorite, creating elegant contrast in a timeless palette. Dressed in a rich mahogany finish, the stummel boasts excellent flame grain around the bowl, while the expansive rim and jutting heel are coated in dense swirls of birdseye.