Scottie Piersel: Sandblasted Pencil Shank Rhodesian Tobacco Pipe

Scottie Piersel took the road less traveled on her way to becoming an artisan pipe maker. While many are inspired by the work of other artisans, she started with the simple desire to handcraft a gift for her husband. So she bought a pipe-making kit, and by the end of her first effort had found an art she wanted to devote herself to mastering. She has now been honing her craft for many years, and has developed an immediately-recognizable style of precise, artful compositions, most often seen with incredibly lithe pencil-shanks like this one. The impossibly thin shanks of her pipe leave no room for error in the shaping process, and look like they would snap easily. However, she carefully lines them with a stainless steel inner sleeve which extends to form a reverse tenon for the nimble stem. The result is an elegant pipe that is also quite strong.

This Rhodesian example doubles down on her signature style, adding extra mass to the bowl without appearing bulky, then pairing it to an elongated shank that brings the entire arrangement within striking range of nine inches. Thick, insulating walls protect the bowl and expand to meet twin beadlines discretely encircling the midriff, creating the distinctive Rhodesian profile, but in a way I have never seen before. A low profile sandblast dresses the stummel in texture without spoiling the ultra-crisp linework and a white accent ring adds a visual break before the hand cut brindled green vulcanite stem. A remarkable piece from one of the best female carvers in the world, sure to elevate any collection.