Ryan Alden: Sandblasted Billiard with Bakelite (Queen of Hearts) Tobacco Pipe

This is the kind of pipe that aficionados of classic English pieces (specifically Dunhill ODAs) love to see from artisan pipemakers, and few carvers make such renditions as prolifically as Ryan Alden. Here, the Texas-based artisan presents one bold Billiard of traditional English style, housing just shy of two inches of chamber depth within the proud, thick-walled bowl. Unlike an old-school English factory, though, Ryan has used his creative license to present this piece in a much more modern color palette — dressing the stummel in a subtle, ebony sandblast and pairing it to a bakelite stem of sunny, golden hue. With a flattened underside, this pipe is well-suited for a desktop companion, yet it's a joy to hold, the bowl filling the palm delightfully. Bold proportions meet a bold color palette. Boom.