Smio Satou: Smooth Bent Apple with Tsuishu Tobacco Pipe

While genuine, traditional urushi lacquer finishes have become something of a rarity these days, tsuisyu is even scarcer, outside of Japan. In fact, searching for it on Google, one of the first relevant results is the last Smiou Satou briar we received bearing it as an accent, from way back in 2009. It is, essentially, colored urushi lacquer which has been layered, and layered, and layered until you have a solid piece composed entirely of the (very slow-drying) stuff, which is then cut into shape. Satou has here used it to spice up this beautifully shaped, yet conservatively finished beauty of a briar, and to that end I'd say its superbly defined rainbow of shades and hues works perfectly.

- Eric N. Squires