Mike Sebastian Bay: Rusticated Bulldog Tobacco Pipe

When inquiring around Copenhagen for someone to restore one of his father's pipes, Mike Sebastian Bay met the legendary Danish artisan Tom Eltang, becoming both fast friends with the carver and his apprentice. Eltang taught Bay the basics of pipe making, as well as more advanced techniques that he himself uses, culminating in Bay being one of the few, select individuals that has been given Tom's blessing to use his signature rustication: a finish seen adorning this straight Bulldog. The Bulldog is a profile we've actually never received from Bay before, and he's done an excellent job at rendering the crisp lines which define the shape's diamond shank, though he's infused it with some subtle Danish softness. The actual panels of this shank are slightly curved, leading to an interesting confluence of textures that's much like that present in the finish. A trim saddle stem lends the aft end of this pipe a bit of sleekness, its cumberland hues standing out against the stummel's dark stain. The bowl stands atop a firm, structured heel and takes on a jaunty forward cant that presents its dual beadlines quite charmingly. These beadlines mark the termination of a flare that starts from the heel and additionally denote the bowl's taper to a slightly chamfered rim. Furthermore, this pair of beadlines adds additional definition to the separation of the bowl's smooth inner rim from the aforementioned rustication that dresses the rest of the stummel.