Wandi Riyadi Smooth Golden Contrast Apple w/ Ivorite Handmade Briar Pipe, New

Description

Over the last decade or so, Indonesia has produced some impressive pipe makers in the ever-expanding global artisan scene. Since taking up pipe making in 2013, West Java’s Wandi Riyadi has shot to international acclaim, and has even inspired something of a “Riyadi school” back in his native land. Riyadi’s work has been inspired by Scandinavinan masters, such as Sixten Ivarsson, Lars Ivarsson, Bo Nordh, and Jess Chonowitch, and the Japanese master Hiroyuki Tokutomi. As gestured, Riyadi himself has also become an influence for numerous other artisans both home and abroad, and has even joined the ranks of pipe makers such as J. Alan, David Huber, Alex Florov, and Cornelius Manz in being invited to design pipes for Zhang Guo Hui’s GH.ZHANG project.

It cannot be overstated how difficult it is for pipe makers outside of the usual national scenes—England, France, Denmark, Germany, Japan, the United States—and so on to achieve the same degree of global recognition as their counterparts in those scenes. In other words, these global outsiders of pipe making have to be pretty special to make an impact. Looking at Wandi Riyadi’s pipes, it’s quite clear why, against quite unfavorable odds, he’s managed to do exactly that. This plump little apple, equally evocative of the Danish greats and the more contemporary masters from St Petersburg, is exquisitely carved and finished, with a distinctly smoky take on a golden contrast finish lighting up a perfect, consistent, tiger-stripe of flame grain. Even without the Ivorite split stem and dash of live plateaux on the pipe’s underside it would be a great achievement—as it stands, they’re more like a well-deserved victory lap.

Details:

Length: 5.4″ / 137.1mm

Bowl Width: 0.83 / 21.08mm

Bowl Depth: 1.59″ / 40.38mm

Weight: 2.9oz / 84g