Moonlight “Barnacle” Oom Paul Sitter Handmade Briar Pipe, New

Description

While some pipe-makers take inspiration from the natural world, or from the technologies of present and past, few of them in the contemporary seek to represent these forms in their work. Czech artisan Ondrej Bárta of Moonlight pipes does just that, in a way that recalls the intricate, figural carvings of briar pipes from the turn of the 20th century. But Ondrej also departs from the figural approach of early briar pipes by combining it with high-grade materials and a careful attention to grain patterns that is far more modern.

Contemporary Czech pipe-making is a fascinating scene. From the long-established presences of Olrdich Jirsa and Karel Krska,  to more recent talents such as Biftek and Eclesias, the country’s artisans don’t seem to have so much of a ‘national style’ as a national inclination towards designs that are daring even compared to the Danish scene. This Moonlight ‘Barnacle’ would seem to fit that description. As the name suggests, it mimics the organic and almost unsettling, clustered form of its titular marine invertebrate. It is a strange and beautiful pipe, with its shape dressed in an unorthodox marine-themed contrast that still allows the briar patterns underneath to shine. The design is completed with a hand cut amethyst ebonite stem and a cap at the base of the shank for easy cleaning.

 

Details:

Length: 4.6″ / 116.8mm

Bowl Width: 0.76 / 19.30mm

Bowl Depth: 1.23″ / 31.24mm

Weight: 2.3oz / 68g