Yang Kun: Partially Sandblasted Bent Dublin Sitter (Four Footprints) (2239) Tobacco Pipe

Prior to becoming a pipe maker, Yang Kun worked in the Chinese television and film industry as a makeup artist. In 2010, a friend showed Kun a book of pipes that were designed by Sixten Ivarsson, and Kun immediately become fascinated with pipe making as a craft. In 2012, Kun quit his job in the entertainment industry and transitioned to pipe making full-time. Along the way, he studied under artisan carver Hongjian Qiu, who taught Kun about the fundamentals of pipe making, such as drilling, draft hole funneling, and contrast staining.

This bent Dublin showcases Kun's elegant shaping style, which reflects the organic sensibilities of the Danish school of design. Tall and shapely, the bowl flares from its flat, rear-slanted heel to its broad, softly inflated rim. The bowl's sloped fore wall, which curves back toward the heel, lends the form a dynamic posture in profile. The flat heel enables the entire composition to sit stably, while the shank-and-stem arrangement's upward curl promotes a comfortable smoking posture. Perhaps the most striking thing about this pipe is the dual finish it wears: While most of the shank is dressed in a dark sandblast, the bowl and shank end are presented in a smooth auburn finish.