Smio Satou: Smooth Bent Dublin with Bamboo and Tsuishu Tobacco Pipe

Unquestionably one of Japan's greatest pipe makers, Smio Satou could be said to have pipe making in his blood, as his father worked for the first briar factory in Japan and repaired pipes for General MacArthur following World War 2. For over 25 years, Satou worked at Tsuge, and over the course of his career, he refined his style and became known for producing elegantly shaped and handsomely finished pipes. Satou is now mostly retired, but he still produces around 40 pipes a year, with this stunning bent Dublin being one of them.

From its refined and understated line work to its absolutely breathtaking finish, this piece showcases everything Satou has learned over the course of his pipe-making career. A true study in elegance, this piece features a tall, vertically compressed bowl that flares from its firm heel to its broad, softly inflated rim. A slender shank curls out of the low-set transition and gives way to two knuckles of warm bamboo, the organic material immediately livening the composition before surrendering to a demurely curved saddle stem of jet-black vulcanite.

The stummel wears a ruby-tinged stain that has been overlaid with Satou's signature urushi finish. Applying said finish is a tedious and time-consuming process that requires over a dozen layers of carefully applied lacquer. The process, as seen here, results in an incredibly durable and glossy finish. Similarly, the tsuishu accent along the stem base requires many hours of work and involves the careful application of thin layers of multi-colored lacquer. All the work is worth it, however, as the briar's natural grain truly shines underneath the silky finish, and the accent can't help but draw the eye with its vibrant kaleidoscope of colors.