Reid Robertson Sandblasted Lovat w/ Corian 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.

I was first turned on to Robertson Pipes by a mutual friend, and to be honest, I was a little embarrassed that I hadn’t picked up on his work sooner. Of course, when I did look at his portfolio, I knew immediately that I wanted at least a few Reid Robertsons at MBSD. I thought this Lovat, along with the small number of others that I’ll be listing soon, would be a fantastic introduction for anyone left that hasn’t yet discovered them. The sandblasting is simply exquisite, with the kind of deep, ring grain relief that would’ve made Bill Taylor himself jealous. The shaping is very classical, including the hallmark slight forward cant found in early briars, resulting in a featherweight form well suited for clenching. The overall aesthetic, on the other hand, is more modern. For one, the pipe features a hand cut, mustard-hued ebonite stem that pairs beautifully with the black blast of the stummel; and two, the stem itself is inlaid with a ring of Corian, lending a fascinating, mineral-like element to the design.

Details:

Length: 5.5″ / 139.7mm

Bowl Width: 0.82 / 20.82mm

Bowl Depth: 1.71″ / 43.43mm

Weight: 1.0oz / 30g