Micah Redmond: Sandblasted Bent Apple with Bakelite Tobacco Pipe

Like a great many American carvers, Micah Redmond favors compact shapes that still possesses a touch of muscularity to their construction, as evidenced by this bent Apple. It's a fairly straightforward interpretation of the classic shape-chart standard, just rendered in Nosewarmer dimensions and with a touch of extra heft present at the heel. Otherwise, it's a charming, pocket-friendly pipe with a chubby, rounded bowl, a gently uplifted shank, and arcing stem. The overall proportions on display are fairly well-balanced, the shank about as long as the bowl is tall, making for a pipe with a delightful in-hand presence. It's a pipe designed for easy travel and on-the-go smoking, but it doesn't sacrifice anything in terms of visuals or style: A crisp, dark sandblast beautifully dresses the stummel and accentuates the natural grain orientation of the briar, all while providing a subtle traction for the fingers to grip. The sunny yellow stem is composed of Bakelike, and it's warm, rich glow really pops against the otherwise shadowy palette of the composition. An eye-catching and highly functional design, this piece will surely make a welcome addition to any collector's rotation.