Smooth Blowfish (Whale) Tobacco Pipe

Gabriele displays two particularly strong influences in his exceptional fine artisan briars: The Danish school, and nature. While his more traditional pieces speak strongly of the former, his freehands blend both together to create highly organic, often complex, yet very well-balanced compositions of form, line, and texture. You can see that clearly enough in this lively take on the Blowfish, sporting a gorgeous freckling of birdseye in a quiet contrast stain on one flank, and a projecting mesa of rugged, dark plateau on the opposite.

- Eric N. Squires