J Mouton Sandblasted Lovat w/ Musk Ox Handmade Briar Pipe, New

Description

Born and raised in the small town of Gueydan, Louisana, Jason Mouton’s rise in the ranks of American pipe makers has been nothing less than meteoric—and for good reason. Having crafted duck calls since he was a teenager, Mouton’s first forays into pipe making began with carving tampers. Mouton’s unexpected and substantial successes with these handmade tampers encouraged and allowed him to purchase the equipment needed to create pipes themselves. Studying the works of renowned American artisans such as J. Alan, Grant Batson, and Jared Coles, Mouton gradually developed his own pipe making craft, which was furthered by his exchanges with Greek artisan Chris Asteriou. Today, Mouton’s works are some of the most sought after on the artisan market, a demand which he has responded to—and not unlike his beginnings in carving tampers—by reinvesting his successes into an unwavering advancement of his skills and technique.

One of the first J. Mouton pipes that properly caught my attention was a Lovat rendition. This was years ago now but, ultimately, I succumbed to temptation the next time he made one. Being the first J. Mouton pipe I bought, they’ll always have a special place in my heart, and it seems that they have a special place in Mouton’s heart, too. While Mouton’s portfolio expands with each year to include ever more daring, experimental, and complex designs, more traditional long shank shapes like the Lovat and the Liverpool continue to feature within his output, each one being just as perfectly executed at the last. This particular example is a very classic Scandi-American take on the shape, with a buxom, brandy-like bowl that reminds of, say, Jess Chonowitsch, Jorn Larsen, and the many artisans they’ve inspired. With its distinctive, near-black finish and musk ox inlay, Mouton’s own Lovat has followed a slightly different course to usual, however, incorporating something of a “dress” motif—one gets the sense that it would pair especially well with a good coffee, after a good meal, in good company.

Details:

Length: 5.5″ / 139.7mm

Bowl Width: 0.73 / 18.54mm

Bowl Depth: 1.55″ / 39.37mm

Weight: 1.3oz / 38g