Scottie Piersel: Sandblasted Morta Pencil Shank Billiard Tobacco Pipe

Ever since Scottie Piersel's 2018 submission for our annual American Pipemaking Exposition, which showcased pipes fashioned from alternative materials, morta has gradually became a more prominent medium within her portfolio. The American artisan presents another morta piece with this Billiard, rendered in Piersel's signature, pencil-shanked "Scottie" style. Though it measures nearly six inches in overall length, it's still one of her shorter pencil-shanked offerings and exemplifies her distinctive approach to shape chart standards. The bowl is tall and muscular, its prominence emphasized by the slender shank and stem that trails away behind it. And while the pencil shank may look delicate or fragile, Scottie's pipes are actually stronger and more durable than most since she reinforces them with a sturdy, stainless steel tube, the stem attaching to the stummel via a reverse tenon configuration.

This slender, elongated style is signature Scottie and is made even more impressive when rendered from morta. Essentially semi-petrified bog oak, morta is significantly more dense than briar and requires extra patience and care when drilling a long airway through such a thin shank. But like the rest of her work, it's expertly executed and reflects the great care she takes when crafting such a demanding piece. The stummel has then been sandblasted, unveiling the medium's unique grain patterns and offering an intriguing tactile experience in hand. A trim, creamy band of ivorite graces the shank end, leading to the brindled vulcanite stem's swirling, hypnotizing mix of navy blue and maroon tones.