Portrait head with fashionable glasses

July 2005

The carving of pipe bowls in briar is as old as the production of pipes in that material. However briarwood is very hard, thanks to its fineness, it can be worked well with a knife and anyone who is skilled in carving can achieve great results with this type of wood. The illustrated pipe is an example that shows a very characteristic and thus realistic portrait. Quite unusual in this case is the portrayal of a spectacled person and not just glasses, but rather a very fashionable pair. In addition, the face of the sitter is well-done by simplifying the details to make the main shape speak. The maker is Conrad Ovellet from St. Jean Port Joli in Quebec. The artist also signed this piece and even gave it the year 1984. The attachment of a acrylic stem was carried out by Aaron Beck from Fort Lauderdale, who was one of the first to know how to achieve beautiful results with different types and colors of acrylic. The striking depiction in combination with the colourful stem makes this tobacco pipe a desirable object.

Amsterdam Pipe Museum APM 17.584

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