Ryan Alden: Sandblasted Apple Nosewarmer (King of Clubs) Tobacco Pipe

Texas-based artisan Ryan Alden is perhaps best known for his more traditional, conservative renderings of iconic shapes, not to mention his penchant for sandblasts, both things that his previous Apple renditions can readily attest to. Much rarer, however, is the ever-alluring natural tanblast, a finish requiring particular choice briar. Despite its compact size, coming in at just under four-and-a-half inches in length, this tanblasted Apple's presence in the hand is quite supple, the smooth curves of the bowl allowing the fingers to wrap around it comfortably, the rugged sandblast providing a delightful texture, letting you know it's there regardless of its weighing just over 31 grams. The transition is cheeked, enhancing the curvaceousness of the bowl's profile, and the shank is tapered toward the stem, so minutely and with such precision that it is barely visible to the eye. The saddle stem is a split vulcanite arrangement of brindled blue and green surrounding a jet black midsection, its vibrant color palette contrasting the warmth of the stummel handsomely. The silhouette of this piece is both elegant and rugged, the fine shaping details hinting towards a genteel disposition, such as the smooth rim that dips into the chamber with a subtle chamfer, while the rugged tanblast exudes a practical rusticity and will patinate with natural oils as it is smoked. An excellent candidate for pocket pipe, this petite Apple is a fantastic display of the talent Ryan Alden possesses, and its great looks ensure that it will turn heads for years to come.