Scottie Piersel: Sandblasted Magnum Morta Pencil Shank Rhodesian Tobacco Pipe

We first saw Scottie Piersel work with morta for 2018's American Pipemaking Exposition, which showcased alternative pipe materials. The American carver presents another morta piece here in this Rhodesian, rendered in Scottie's signature, pencil-shanked style. While the slender, elongated aesthetic is always impressive, it becomes all the more so using morta — the dark material is significantly more dense than briar, requiring extra care and patience when drilling such a long airway through such slender form. Like all of her pencil-shanked pipes, this one is reinforced with steel all the way through the shank for worry-free durability. Shape-wise, the heel dips slightly below the shank's line, accentuating the bowl's poised nature, and the teal hue of the vulcanite stem combines strikingly with the black-and-white motif of the stummel and ivorite accent for a modernist touch.