Smooth Tomato with Ivorite and Bakelite (Phalanx) (Q) Tobacco Pipe

Few people have had a greater impact on the pipe-making world than Todd Johnson. He was among the first American artisans to learn the Danish style of pipe-making and popularize it among his peers, passing that knowledge on to many budding pipe makers over the years. While Johnson has long championed the engineering and style cues of the Danish carving style, he has taken that foundation and transformed it into an aesthetic that is distinctly his own. Johnson's work typically features organic forms with the appearance of having naturally grown into their finished shape, rather than being carved that way by a sanding disc. This phenomenon can certainly be observed here with this lovely Tomato, which boasts a wonderfully ergonomic presence in hand and a beautiful confluence between grain and shaping, with gorgeous finish work to tie it all together.

Showcasing soft, gentle curves from stem to rim, this Tomato is wonderfully plump. The walls of the squat bowl seem to balloon and cascade into the inflated rim, and the thick, upturned shank melds seamlessly into the bowl's heel for a sweeping undercurve that conforms quite comfortably to the contours of the hand. Gorgeous grain abounds throughout the stummel, coinciding effortlessly with its shaping: Flame grain climbs the flanks of the shank and the walls of the bowl, while curlicues of birdseye swirl along the stummel's underside as well as the rim and the top of the shank. A subtle kiss of plateau also peeks out from the rim, adding the slightest hint of rugged texture that enhances the piece's overall organic appearance.

A warm, smooth finish accentuates the briar's stellar grain, and offers a handsome backdrop for both the raised Ivorite band at the junction, and the lovely baby-blue Bakelite stem that tops off the composition. The stem's variegated swirls add a note of airiness to the ensemble, while the warm stain maintains a sense of earthiness. All in all, this is a stunning piece from Johnson; masterfully crafted in both form and finish, it's no wonder this piece has earned the artisan's ultimate Phalanx Q grade.