Sandblasted Strawberry Wood Paolo Becker Tribute Bent Billiard with Boxwood (S) Tobacco Pipe

Formerly known as the American Pipe Making Exposition, our annual Global Pipe Making Exposition features contributions from some of the world's foremost artisans, all united around a central theme. One of the most exciting events of the year for carvers, smokers, and enthusiasts of briar alike, the Global Exposition acts not only as a showcase for the immense talent of these artisans, but a focus for the boundless creativity that these masters of the art possess. For 2025, the theme of our Expo is "In Memoriam," celebrating the life and works of artisans who have passed on, yet whose impact on the craft and those around them is utterly undeniable.

American artisan Pete Prevost's style is rooted in the American Revival school, often resulting in stout, hearty pipes that are, at times, remarkably compact. I was surprised, then, to see that he's chosen to honor the esteemed Paolo Becker with this year's entry, carving a piece that looks to eschew much of the pronounced muscularity expected from his work. Rather, he has crafted a pipe whose inspiration is immediately and powerfully recognizable, even from a passing glance. Arrestingly evocative of the Italian artisan's unique style of bent Billiard, this is a pipe of many firsts, as it's not only aesthetically singular within Pete's portfolio, but it's the first bent Billiard we've ever received from him, and the first pipe from him we've seen that's been carved from strawberry wood: one of Paolo Becker's most oft-used alternate materials, and marked by an "S" stamp just as Becker woukd have done. This endeavor into what is, essentially, uncharted territory has resulted in an absolute triumph, succeeding as both a tribute and as a display of Prevost's impressive versatility.

Shape-wise, this piece offers a sleek, agile look through the aft side, with a wide transition leading into a subtly lifting, tapering shank that's just a touch stouter than most similar works from Becker. This shank rises to meet a similarly tapering stem of black vulcanite that makes a subtle downturn at the bit, poising this piece in a gracile arc that offers a comfortable smoking posture and lends it a flowing, balanced appearance. At the base of the stem, Prevost has outfitted this pipe with a pair of boxwood rings, not only creating some lovely contrast against the inky vulcanite, but hearkening to a signature Paolo Becker accent seen gracing a variety of pipes from the Italian artisan's workshop. The shank and stem hold aloft a plump, pert bowl that here stands atop a slightly rounded, yet pronounced, heel spur that, too, calls to mind the signature Becker aesthetic. From atop this heel, the bowl grows supple, arcing walls that strike me as being a good deal more Egg-like than Becker's Billiards, though whose lines are recognizably Prevost through the fore, with the aft wall assuming a more upright rise to the rim. Dressing this piece is an inky sandblast that reveals rippling bands of ring grain flowing down the bowl and connects this pipe to the work of Becker even further. What's more, to complete this truly exhaustive tribute, Pete has included Becker's iconic white "b" inlay on the left side of the stem, though here it's a "p" for Prevost.