Werner Mummert: Sandblasted Bent Apple Tobacco Pipe

Werner Mummert is a German artisan that often pushes the boundaries of pipe making, producing some of the most unique and creative designs the medium has to offer. Though his work is often highly stylized, Mummert makes sure each of his pipes is precisely engineered, understanding that no amount of style or ingenuity can make up for a design that doesn't smoke properly. This bent Apple is clearly the work of Mummert, as each aspect of the pipe is rendered with the muscular angularity that defines a great deal of the artisan's work.

This piece boasts a tall, muscular bowl that stands at the fore of an upturned paneled shank and a demurely curved saddle stem of jet-black vulcanite. The bowl tapers from its plump heel to its tauter rim, producing some supple curves that fill the hand with substance. The shank's sharp ridgelines reinforce the shape's brawny disposition and offers some pleasing contrast to the bowl's rounded contours. One of Mummert's craggy sandblasts dresses the stummel and unveils waves of growth rings across the bowl's flanks, providing plenty of visual and tactile intrigue. A trim band around the shank end and a briar accent along the stem's base are smoothly polished and offer a touch of textural contrast to the overall form.