Todd Johnson: Sandblasted Billiard Tobacco Pipe

Todd Johnson's style often favors organically inclined, bent designs, making this straight Billiard a rare sight but certainly a welcome one. It's a thoroughly classic, yet minimalist interpretation that bespeaks the American artisan's skill when it comes to shape chart standards. This interpretation seamlessly merges the soft, gentle lines of the Danish school with the muscularity and heartiness of the American Industrial style. The tall bowl is upright and poised, exhibiting just a hint of forward cant and subtly tapering from its robust heel toward the gently inflated rim.

I'm particularly infatuated with the sandblasted finish Todd has treated this piece to, coaxing out an impressive array of undulating ring grain around the bowl's flanks. And since the bowl is quite large, there's even more surface area for the grain to take center stage. The cylindrical shank is well-balanced in relation to the bowl, its proportions spot-on with the shank-end accented by a vulcanite ring. The diameter of the saddle stem is noticeably smaller in relation to the shank face and briefly flares outward before gradually tapering toward the lip button. The all-black color palette lends this piece a formal aesthetic, remaining handsomely understated all while benefiting from Johnson's superb craftsmanship. Whether you're a collector of Todd's work or simply appreciate artisan renditions of timeless shapes, this piece warrants serious consideration.