Scottie Piersel: Relief Contrast Pencil Shank Pot Tobacco Pipe

Scottie Piersel is an American carver who produces shapes with an emphasis on functionality, longevity, and engineering. Over the course of her career, she's developed a unique style that's striking in its refinement. This Pot is an excellent example of her work, as it perfectly captures the understated elegance with which Piersel imbues all of her pipes.

As is typical for a Piersel pipe, this piece features an incredibly slender pencil shank that's dwarfed by a more muscular bowl. One could be mistaken at first glance for assuming that this pipe may be structurally unsound, but that's not the case. The mortise is lined with stainless steel tubing for added durability, allowing it to support the brawny build of the bowl. The overall form is lightweight in hand and streamlined in profile, the shank-and-stem arrangement's svelte lines drawing the eye to the bowl. One of Scottie's crisp sandblasts dresses the stummel, unveiling rippling waves of growth rings across the bowl, while the smooth rim provides textural contrast. A light accent at the junction and a sleek tapered stem of brindled purple vulcanite add rich color contrast to the composition.