Ser Jacopo: Smooth Calabash Sitter (L1) (A) Tobacco Pipe

When one first thinks of the Calabash, one likely conjures the image of sinuously bent pipes with flowing lines and steep curves throughout, or even the more reserved renditions with their more bent Dublin-like shapes. This imagining from the playful artisans of Ser Jacopo is decidedly different from most any other Calabash, presenting with a straight stretch of shank and stem and a flattened heel. The advantage of this flat heel is that it allows this pipe to sit very steadily, not only adding a practical element to the piece, but aiding in its display, showcasing the bowl's dynamic forward cant and the shank's slightly diagonal travel. This diagonal orientation of shank and stem pushes it into a bit of prominence while the pipe is sitting, though the consistent taper through the pair's travel keeps the aft side extremely sleek, placing much of the visual weight on the bowl. Said bowl showcases a steady flare from the heel to just below the rim, as the rim is carved to resemble the rim cap of traditional Calabashes, with a ridgeline at its base to mimic the harder lines of where the meerschaum would fit into the gourd. The domed travel toward the chamber here offers a welcome bit of softness to the profile, though it becomes flat as it reaches closer, ensuring that the firm lines present throughout the piece are maintained. Dressing the briar is a warm walnut stain that unveils some handsome grain, while the black stem's darkness keeps the look of everything reserved and traditional, contrasting the playful shaping of the stummel.