I heard about this pipe before I saw it, and I must admit that I was a bit skeptical. A freehand Churchwarden Cup and Saucer Mushroom with a partial plateau rim and a small Nautilus on the shank? From a relatively new carver? You must be kidding me. But now that it is here in front of me, I am a believer in the exceptional talent and vision of Russian artisan Boris Starkov. This pipe is really cool! The design elements all come together to create something that works, nothing here is over the top. Even the little Nautilus, which must have taken a huge amount of effort to carve into both the shank and stem, doesn't seem out of place. The grain is outstanding, the softly flowing lines have elegance and grace, and the whimsical proportions are just right. It's kind of mind-blowing to see a piece that is both unique and well-done from a carver that I had previously never heard of, but I remember a similar experience with another Russian artisan by the name of Michail Revyagin. Within two years, he was a living legend and his pipes were priced well out of my range.

Eric vitriol