Silver Gray: Sandblasted Dublin Hawkbill with Lacewood Tobacco Pipe

A former accountant with three decades of pipe-making experience, Silver Gray came into the pipe world by way of her partner, artisan pipe maker Brad Pohlmann. Her fist carvings made use of briar scrap, before working her way up to discarded stummels, and finally raw burl, honing her aesthetic and learning the equipment around her until finding herself at a level of mastery. This Dublin Hawkbill is one of Gray's signature shapes, displaying her penchant for fusing styles and outlines, with the extended, aquiline shank of the Hawkbill being a favorite of hers to carve. The combination of shank and stem here leap out of the heel, with the heel itself taking on a curved, rounded point beneath the bowl, slanting rearward to offset the fore wall's organic, mushroom-like flare. The shank lends the outline and undercurve a striking, angular look that's rich with dynamic curvature and full of charm, the shank's arc terminating in a junction marked by a band of lacewood. Here, the stem takes hold, its base cut at an angle that stylistically merges its black and yellow brindled vulcanite with the striations of the lacewood, the short taper taking on a demure downturn to the button. Up front, the bowl takes on a slight pinch at the midsection, allowing for easy wrapping of the fingers and opening the transition to allow for a digit to comfortably drape. From here the bowl flares out to a broad rim that's completely covered in craggy plateau, creating a focal point in the composition and drawing the eye to the fore. Dressed in a crisp, contrast-stained sandblast, this piece showcases dense stacks of growth rings across its bowl and rippling down the shank, as streaks of flame piece the undulating waves.