David Huber: Glowfish Ultima (Bull) (46/23) Tobacco Pipe

David Huber's Glowfish is a specific take on the iconic Fish or Blowfish shapes that incorporates a special substance called "HyperGlow" embedded into a custom formula of high-quality resin, making it glow in the dark. The American artisan debuted the material during our 2017 American Pipe-Making exposition for the theme of accent stems, and he's returned to it once again for 2023's Exposition focusing on alternative materials. That said, he's pushed the boundaries even further here: Not only does this Glowfish Ultima feature that aforementioned glow-in-the-dark accent, the entire pipe itself glows in the dark.

Though Huber is a seasoned artisan pipe maker, he had yet to make an entirely glow-in-the-dark pipe, and this piece is the culmination of hours and hours of research and development. After finally finding a raw glow material that met his standards, he then taught himself how to cast, trouble-shooting necessary tools, equipment, and processes. Once the resin was cast, Huber fitted it with a briar chamber and drilled the mortise and airway by hand. The pipe itself was shaped freehand as well, requiring numerous tool replacements — drill bits and sanding discs are quite efficient when working with briar, not so much when shaping a custom-cast resin of glow-in-the-dark properties.

The results speak for themselves, and this Glowfish Ultima represents not only Huber's skill and innovation as a craftsman but his passion, enthusiasm, and curiosity for the pipe-making craft at large. As a shape, it's a traditional Danish Fish in the style of the late and legendary Lars Ivarsson. Characterized by a broadly-flaring, upward-curling shank, it features a continuous ridgeline along the left flank that travels up the side of the bulbous bowl. The more conventional shaping of the pipe acts as a striking and artistic juxtaposition against the considerably non-traditional materials used for this piece. When charged in daylight, the stummel will glow brilliantly in the dark, alongside the technicolor accent of HyperGlow Confetti and the acrylic stem also imbued with HyperGlow compound. A stunning feat of craftsmanship and artistic invention, it's especially fitting for this piece to have earned Huber's superlative Bull grade, and it also conveniently marks his 700th pipe ever made.