Scottie Piersel: Relief Contrast Magnum Pencil Shank Acorn with Juma Tobacco Pipe

Scottie Piersel entered the world of pipe making in an unusual way: The Kansas City resident bought a starter kit for her husband. That altruism started a professional career that has since brought the carver much success and personal affirmation.

The artisan is known for fashioning pipes with clean, minimalist lines, along with colorful, comfortable stems and pencil shanks, all of which are appreciatively seen in this piece. Our archives indicate this is only the second Acorn shape we've received from the American carver; the first was a design submitted for Smokingpipes' annual American Pipemaking Exposition in 2019, making this rendition a rarity. The forward-leaning bowl embraces quite the organic aesthetic, the tall, bulbous and hearty design imbued with a hint of asymmetrical shaping, along with a rim crowned in craggy plateau. Below, a refined heel spur lends a bit of customary whimsy. The bowl is pertly poised at the end of one of Scottie's amazing pencil shanks, which is reinforced with stainless steel lining and promotes a streamlined, lightweight disposition that's notable for its durability. Scottie prides herself on creating pipes that are, more than anything, highly functional, comfortable smoking instruments and takes a lot of time ensuring the mouthpieces are top notch. This piece is topped by a gorgeous vulcanite stem of intermingling blue colors, a dazzling Arctic blue being the most prominent. The stummel is dressed in one of her Relief Contrast sandblasts, showcasing growth rings and vertical grain, while the inner rim is left smooth for contrast. Adding even further delight is a trim pearly accent of Ivorite at the shank end.