Todd Johnson: Smooth Bent Egg with Boxwood (Phalanx) Tobacco Pipe

With over two decades of pipe-making experience, American carver Todd Johnson has earned quite the reputation for his highly original and aesthetically rich designs. The American artisan boasts a masters degree in aesthetics from Yale and has studied under venerated legends of the craft, including Danish masters Tom Eltang and Lars Ivarsson. He traveled to Denmark to study the elegant design sensibility and functional craftsmanship that marks the Danish tradition, doing so long before that became the norm. His work exhibits a wide range of influences, but they are all channeled through Johnson's own artistic prism, and the pipes he crafts are singularly his own. His work often takes the form of organic, sculptural shapes that showcase his keen eye for balance and finishing, as evidenced by this striking Egg, which is stamped with Johnson's prestigious Phalanx grade.

Fluid and dynamic, this piece boasts a tall, supple bowl that stands at the fore of a sweeping shank and a demurely curved saddle stem. The bowl tapers from its wide, full-bodied heel to its taut rim, and as it does, it takes on a forward-canted posture that's offset by the shank and stem's acrobatic stance. The shank and stem promote a comfortable smoking posture and lend a pronounced curvature to the shape's aft side, while the wide transition offers ample space to drape a digit or two. A smoky smooth finish dresses the stummel and highlights tight tendrils of flame grain that streak across the bowl and shank alike. An accent of boxwood further distinguishes this piece, its warm complexion adding a touch of vibrancy to the composition.