Sunday, July 17, 2011

Burl Pipe with Carved Twisted Stem by James Blake

My latest creation, after many long hours I finally completed this piece. The grain in the burl simply is amazing.  The bowl is pewter lined as is the original. The Pipe bowl is copied from a original in the Splendid Heritage collection while the original has lost its stem over time, It gave me the opportunity to have full control over its creation. I chose to go with a twisted stem I used cedar for the choice wood due to its relative softness which helped immensely with the carving of the meandering twist. I also took the liberty in ageing the stem after a final burnishing and polish of the stem the two pieces were married to each other and make a exquisite piece. As of late I have been expanding my abilities and working with wood I have found to be immensely enjoyably. Twisted pipe stems have had there place within many tribal regions of North America, Used by the Iroquoian  peoples in the east to the Sioux in the west and almost every tribe in between. I have found that many of these stems were made with Cedar and Ash as the choice woods. Often the stems design and complexity out shine the pipe itself.

Copy and photos by James Blake.

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