Moonlight Pipes “Briar Raven” Oom Paul Handmade Briar Pipe, New

Description

While some pipe-makers take inspiration from the natural world, or from the technologies of present and past, few of them in the contemporary seek to represent these forms in their work. Czech artisan Ondrej Bárta of Moonlight pipes does just that, in a way that recalls the intricate, figural carvings of briar pipes from the turn of the 20th century. But Ondrej also departs from the figural approach of early briar pipes by combining it with high-grade materials and a careful attention to grain patterns that is far more modern.

Ondrej Bárta is well known for his highly unconventional Oom Paul sitter renditions, the most well-known being his “Steampunk” inspired interpretations of the classic shape. This one is another, but it’s also quite different from his usual fare. For one, it mixes industrial and organic motifs—typically separated in Bárta’s portfolio—by way of the pipe’s brass faux-spigot mount and the intricate feather carvings that layer in a dense “plumage” from the pipe’s shank end. The other, very noticeable, distinction for this pipe is the inclusion of a similarly hand-carved raven motif, one that perches near the top of the bowl against its matte-contrast “sky.” It’s more openly gothic than Bárta’s work often leans, though it’s certainly appropriate given the coincidence of the industrial age and the apogee of gothic art in the 18th and 19th centuries.

As with many Moonlight Pipes, this Oom Paul includes an ebonite shank plug at the base of the bowl for ease of cleaning and general maintenance.

Details:

Length: 4.5″ / 114.3mm

Bowl Width: 0.79 / 20.06mm

Bowl Depth: 1.59″ / 40.38mm

Weight: 1.7oz / 50g