Mark Tinsky: Black and Tan Billiard (4) (Two Star) Tobacco Pipe

American carver Mark Tinsky is no stranger to large, bodacious designs, though this by no means indicates that he isn't just as comfortable rendering svelte profiles such as this Billiard. While not exactly compact at nearly six inches long, this pipe certainly feels that way, with its sleek length of sunny acrylic stem and under 37 grams of weight. The shank is paneled and lends the pipe some structure, transitioning into a Brandy-esque bowl with a subtle taper to its inward-sloping rim. The fore of this piece is finished in a dark rustication that splits the stummel in half near the rear of the rim, with the rest of the briar dressed in a warm mahogany stain.