Todd Johnson: Smooth Dublin with Aluminum and Bakelite (Phalanx) Tobacco Pipe

Todd Johnson was one of the first modern carvers to incorporate bakelite into pipe design, and as one can imagine, his palette of stem and accent colors has accordingly been quite diverse over the years. He's also worked fairly extensively with aluminum, so to see such a visually interesting combination of the two materials from the carver for our 2017 American Exposition is quite cool. A nod to the Art Deco movement, as well as the classic, Mid-century Modern streamlined aesthetic (think the Airstream trailer), this muscular, plateau-crowned Dublin is adorned with a split saddle stem of the bright metal combined with antique mint green bakelite, the very same hue that adorned radios, kitchen appliances, and home decor for decades. Not one to go the understated route, Todd paired this brilliant accent stem with a warm, ruby contrast, likely also a nod to those refined finishes of yesteryear. A beautiful example of the American carver's idiosyncratic style, replete with personality.

- Daniel Bumgardner