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

Leveraging his background in sculpting, leather working, and wood turning, Ryan Alden produces a wide variety of pipes, though he tends to favor the elegant simplicity of Anglo-French classics. This snug Nosewarmer Billiard exemplifies Alden's love for the old shape-chart standards, showcasing nicely balanced proportions across the totality of the form. Measuring just a touch over four inches in total length, this piece is remarkably lightweight and compact, making it perfect for on-the-go smoking. Shape-wise, this piece features a tall bowl that rises at the fore of an arrow-straight shank-and-stem arrangement. The bowl houses a nice bit of chamber given the shape's overall size, and it tapers ever-so-slightly upward from its rounded heel to its rim. A crisp, dark sandblast dresses the stummel and highlights an impressive mixture of birdseye and rippling grain about the bowl, while a saddle stem of green vulcanite tops off the design and adds a touch of contrasting color to the overall composition.