This piece from Micah "Yeti" Cryder touches on a number of the American artisan's aesthetic preferences: a rim left to plateau, the Dublin shape that is an oft-seen design in the carver's portfolio, and a compact form, such as this conveniently lightweight and easily pocketed example. The Dublin is also a reliable shape for displaying grain, in this case a sandblast which unusually highlights more the straight grain than the underlying growth rings which, generally speaking are more prominent as the harder material in the briar burl. Finally it's been paired to a stem made from his signature bakelite — in this case a swirled lemon yellow — and again somewhat unusually, a bronze accent band, an uncommon pipe accent compared to silver and other metals.

— Adam M. O'Neill