Werner Mummert: Sandblasted Optical Illusion Poker Tobacco Pipe

One of the most innovative pipe makers working today, Werner Mummert fashions traditional shapes with some consistency, but he's perhaps better known for his experimental, boundary-pushing designs. Even when considering his more avant-garde work, its important to point out that his style isn't simply experimentation for experimentation's sake. No, underneath his unique style is a bedrock of high-quality engineering and an understanding of what makes a pipe functional as well as handsome.

As its name implies, this Optical Illusion Poker changes appearance depending on the perspective from which its viewed. In profile, the bowl looks to be that of a traditional Poker, albeit with a slightly wavy rim. However, when viewed from the fore or aft, the bowl takes on an architectural appearance, with four crisp panels framing the tobacco chamber. This unusual shaping reflects the German carver's playful aesthetic and lends the shape a distinctive character. Dressed here in a jet-black sandblast, the stummel showcases Mummert's astonishing ability in the blasting cabinet, highlighted by the deep, craggy growth rings wrapping around the bowl.