This is an amazing pipe, isn’t it? The overarching Modernist theme calls to one from across a room, and the hypnotic details that are revealed upon closer inspection all but demand that this art be viewed from every possible angle. In a world where famous artisan will award their top grade to as many as 80 pipes a year, this is only the ninth time that Will Purdy has awarded a briar with a Turtle in his career. In the master’s own words ‘The Rarest and most exceptional pipes are graded ‘Turtle’, and stamped with a turtle shaped stamp, and are numbered relative to their place in production’.

The grain of this Turtle Grade wild dublin is universally delightful, but to my mind the genius lies within the interplay of the intriguing forms found in the body and shank. The former almost has a cubist feel, with the side views offering a perspective that one would anticipate from viewing front on. The latter, while highly architectural, employs almost serpentine like shifts in its travel to the bowl, an approach that reminds me a bit of Will’s famous Tadpole. Highly recommended for the collector who appreciates the incorporation of famous two-dimensional art movements in their three dimensional pipes, and if you are a fan of will Purdy? The word ‘must’ comes to mind.

Bear Graves