Ryan Alden: Sandblasted Apple (Ten of Diamonds) Tobacco Pipe

While Ryan Alden doesn't produce only compact pipes, it is a convention to which he often returns. Almost every batch of new pipes we receive from him contains at least one piece under five inches in length, something for which I'm quite grateful because the American carver pulls the designs off brilliantly. Here we have a quaint and classic straight Apple. The proportions are incredibly charming in this diminutive size, yet the bowl doesn't get lost in hand and a firm grip is easily maintained. Perfectly perpendicular to the horizontal axis, the bowl is broad and round, while the shank's implied taper travels seamlessly through the negative space of the saddle stem. Though traditional of form and finish, Alden has added a touch of modern style with the addition of a contrasting, burnt orange mouthpiece.