Scottie Piersel: Partially Sandblasted Pencil Shank Tomato Tobacco Pipe

Part of what makes Scottie Piersel pipes so charming is the stark dichotomy of proportions and yet delicate balance often presented between bowl and shank, as seen here. The American artisan takes pride in crafting pipes with superb function, comfort, and engineering. Equally adept at creating stylish, muscular designs or ultra sleek renditions, she here presents a Tomato that's a pleasing culmination of both.

Easily recognized as Scottie's work, this piece features the Tomato bowl's low-slung stature amid considerable breadth, along with a flattened base and deeply beveled rim. A sure Sitter, it's affixed to one of the artisan's signature pencil-thin shanks, which initially seems fragile but is anything but, Scottie having reinforced it with stainless steel for longevity and durability. The rim is finished smooth, save for a kiss of plateau along the aft side, and slopes into the chamber for a tobacco-loading experience that's as easy as possible. Dressing this piece is a wonderfully crisp sandblast that does well to define the softly rippling grain of the stummel in rich ruby hues, while the swirled stem of multicolored vulcanite offers a touch of elegant contrast.