Werner Mummert: Sandblasted LEGO Deco Poker Tobacco Pipe

Enigmatic, self-taught, and entirely original, the work of Werner Mummert is truly singular, the German artisan's four decades of experience as an engineering technician contributing to a style that's painstakingly precise and features expert drilling. Mummert's start in the pipe carving craft was fostered by his longing for more pipes and his relative lack of funds, buying a carving kit which he shaped with files and a Dremel, his pipe-smoking friends then contacting him to ask for their own thanks to his good work. Much of Mummert's inspiration lies outside of the pipe world, instead centering around modern art, Werner attending art or photo exhibitions as often as he can to find new sources of influence. This is something reflected well in his work, though perhaps nowhere as deftly as this robust Poker.

This truly unique piece is immediately recognizable as Mummert's work, displaying a towering paneled bowl at the fore of a thick rectangular shank and hand-cut vulcanite saddle stem. The upper and lower portions of the stummel are carved to resemble the connective areas of LEGO blocks, which can actually fit together with other pipes dressed in this distinctive finish. The walls of the stummel display deep carved grooves and stained in sections, creating the impression that the pipe has been assembled from multicolored blocks. This whimsical piece is exemplifies the creativity and skill that makes Werner Mummert's work -beloved the world over.