Partially Sandblasted Bent Dublin Sitter with Bamboo Tobacco Pipe

In 2015, Chinese artisan Li Xin pivoted from furniture building to pipe making, as he sought an alternative hobby that would still allow him to utilize his woodworking skills and personal creativity. By 2016, he was apprenticing full-time under the successful artisan Yang Zhimin. Over the decade since, Xin has cultivated his own distinct style, marked by pleasing proportions, clean lines, and the heavy use of bamboo. Said hallmarks can all be observed in this striking bent Dublin Sitter, which especially showcases Xin's affinity for bamboo.

Though a fairly compact offering, measuring just under five inches in total length, this bent Dublin Sitter packs plenty of character within its concise dimensions. The bowl flares broadly toward the inflated, chamfered rim, and takes on a self-assured forward cant that lends the composition an energetic sense of momentum. This effect is enhanced by the shank-and-stem arrangement, which snakes sinuously upward to be almost completely vertical, thus offering a comfortable clench. The shank is also incredibly thick, flaring out dramatically from the cinched transition; this widening offers ample real estate to show off the bamboo's rhizomes, which have been decorated with tortoiseshell-patterned, bead-like accents that pair perfectly with the stummel's deep, rich stain. In addition to said stain, the majority of the stummel also wears a crisp, smoky sandblast, with only the rim left smooth for a flash of contrast. Beautifully finished and wonderfully practical, this offering is sure to make a well-loved addition to any pipe collection.