Scottie Piersel: Relief Contrast Pencil Shank Dublin Tobacco Pipe

Scottie Piersel places an emphasis on functionality, durability, and engineering when crafting a pipe, but that's not to say she foregoes striking aesthetics. Instead, her aesthetic choices are meant to bolster her designs. Piersel has studied under some of North America's best carvers and developed a distinctive style that often marries robust, muscular bowls to elongated, pencil-thin shanks. This Dublin exemplifies her approach to pipe making and showcases her ability to render visually striking work.

At first glance, one could be forgiven for thinking that this pipe is haphazardly built, with the bowl so broad and brawny in comparison to the slender shank and stem. However, Piersel has accounted for the weight disparity by lining the interior of the shank with stainless steel tubing, which makes the shank incredibly durable and allows it to support the hearty bowl. Typical for the form, the bowl flares from its heel to its rim, its aft walls expanding subtly as its lifts upward. The bowl's flare here is actually much less pronounced than in her other interpretations of this shape, with a more reserved expanse of briar at the rim which has here been sloped into the chamber and finished smooth, showcasing some handsome grain. Piersel's striking Relief Contrast finish dresses the stummel and coaxes out textural plains of birdseye across the flanks of the bowl, while the fore and aft display rippling growth rings. A colorful stem of olive-toned vulcanite tops off the design and provides a touch of vibrancy to the overall composition, while a slender accent band of ivorite enhances this.