Tsunami (A+) Tobacco Pipe

While titled the Tsunami, a title that I think is rather good for the shape, there is an implicit reference here to Bo Nordh's Ballerina shape. Many pipe makers have, especially since his death in July, 2006, paid homage to one of the greatest pipe makers the world has ever seen.

Of course, these tribute pieces have varied in terms of quality and in terms of originality. The very best of them have referenced Bo, without really copying him. Copying Bo outright is something with which Bo would have no problem: Bo famously said that he happily steals ideas from other pipe makers "with both arms and legs" and he expected and hoped that his work would elicit the same response in others. Even that-- just straight copies-- takes tremendous pipe making skill.

Reimagining Bo's shape to create a startlingly different effect requires a whole different level of talent. With this piece, Alex Florov has very much taken an underlying Bo Nordh form and done something radically different with it, creating a sense of the vibrant energy of waves crashing rather than the stillness, yet potential, expected, explosiveness that Bo imbued his shape with.

One might argue that the difference between the active energy in this piece and the implied energy in Bo's piece is subtle and in some respects it is: either way, this is a piece of briar that isn't physically moving. Still, from the beveling of the sides to the angle of the curve that runs from the base over the back of the bowl to the explosive forward motion of the composition, there is something special and unique about this composition from Alex Florov.

-- Sykes Wilford