Reid Robertson Sandblasted Cherrywood w/ Marble Ebony Handmade Briar Pipe, New

Description

Atlanta artisan Reid Robertson’s first exposure to the world of pipes came when he was just two years old. While on a family vacation to Disney World, the young Reid caught a whiff of the curious scents emanating from the bowl of a passing smoker, a total going about his vacation with his own family. That memory has stuck with Reid ever since, so it should be no surprise that, when he turned 18, a gifted Sasieni began his lifelong love affair with pipes. Several years down the line, Reid decided to go one step further and make pipes of his own. By then he already had plenty of woodworking experience under his belt, and the generous advice and encouragement of the online pipe making community—especially Sean Reum, Jason Patrick, and Kadesh Swanson—Robertson Pipes was born. Reid would go on to further develop his craft under the tutelage of David S. Huber, this time in-person at Huber’s North Carolina workshop. Since then Robertson Pipes have found their place in the steadfast tradition of high-grade, American artisan pipes.

Pipes made from cherry wood are as old, if not older, than pipes made from briar, but as briar became ascendant as the standard material for pipes, the distinct shape of pipes carved from cherry tree branches would soon migrate to the new medium. Thus, the cherrywood shape, as a briar staple, was born, not unlike how briar cutty shapes were modeled on centuries-old clay pipes. Recent decades have seen a resurgence in cherrywood briars, in part due to their superlative practicality and to a waxing functionalist design movement. But this hasn’t stopped artisans from developing novel interpretations that, nonetheless, don’t lose sight of what makes the shape what it is. This one, from Reid Robertson, leans into a “vase”-like variation that allows for a full figure while ensuring that the pipe is—as it should be—an easy sitter. The pipe is expertly sandblasted, bringing out copious amounts of gnarly ring grain, and features whispers of plateaux burl at its smoothed rim and shank end. As a finishing touch, the pipe’s stem is not only hand-cut forest green ebonite, but it is also a split stem, with a rare, marble ebony accent.

Details:

Length: 5.3″ / 134.6mm

Bowl Width: 0.81 / 20.57mm

Bowl Depth: 1.64″ / 41.65mm

Weight: 1.9oz / 56g