Yuwei: Sandblasted Bo's Pot Tobacco Pipe

Inspired by a Bo Nordh design that was in turn inspired by the legendary Sixten Ivarsson, this bent Pot from Yuwei Huang continues the Taiwanese carver's penchant for Danish shaping cues. This offering is also one of the more whimsical pieces we've received from Yuwei as it utilizes line work and asymmetry in such creative and unique ways. In silhouette, the bowl resembles an Hourglass in its shaping, its waistline gently pinched while the rim and base are noticeably inflated with the heel jutting slightly outward along the sides. The aforementioned rim is subtly concave in its orientation, demarcated from the rest of the bowl by a crisp ridgeline, an element also present at the base that further accentuates the heel's roundness. Out back, the shank gradually flares as it works its way to the mortise while the stem continues the high-kicking, arcing nature established by the shank. The disc-like panel along the stem base echoes the ridgelines along the rim and base, also acting as an accent in profile.

My favorite aspect is the way in which Yuwei has used asymmetry on this piece. Most pipe makers typically opt to utilize asymmetry in some manner in the orientation of the shank or bowl, but here Huang actually used it on the mouthpiece. The stem curves slightly to right before meeting the base of the saddle stem and is something I can't ever recall seeing on any other pipe. Furthering the Danish aesthetic, Yuwei has finished the stummel in a light-depth sandblast that has unveiled a fascinating array of rippling ring grain underneath the chocolatey stain. The Taiwanese artisan has then left the inner most portion of the rim as well as the rounded shank face smooth for subtle, yet tasteful accenting touches.