Yuwei: Smooth Blowfish with Bamboo Tobacco Pipe

Yuwei Huang is a Taiwanese carver that draws inspiration from Danish and American pipe making traditions, and his work is often highly organic and quite gestural, as evidenced by this Blowfish. The Blowfish is an incredibly difficult design to fashion, as it demands a certain precision in terms of line work and a careful consideration of the briar's grain orientation. Huang was obviously more than up for the challenge and crafted a truly stunning rendition of the shape.

While this piece is slightly longer and more streamlined through the shank-and-stem arrangement than other renditions we've seen, it perfectly captures the form's wrapping ridgelines, which lopsidedly bifurcate the bowl and add a touch of definition to one flank. Said ridgelines frame a crisp, pronounced panel that displays grain in a cross-cut orientation and curls across the bowl's fore, heel, and aft. The shank is extended by two sections of bamboo, heightening the organic character of the piece and providing a touch of warmth that harmonizes with the hues of the stummel. A glossy, auburn-hued smooth finish dresses the stummel and highlights constellations of birdseye on either flank of the bowl for further visual appeal.