While Wolfgang has frequently mixed blasted and smooth surfaces on the same pipe, I don’t believe I’ve ever seen his split a bowl in half, with one side blasted and the other side smooth. In the past, he has often made the shank one finish and the bowl another. This may be a first for him. Although the bowl is substantial, a Grp. 5 size, the overall length of the pipe is short, which is quite common in Wolfgang’s opus. The craftsmanship is, of course, meticulous. I can’t think of a pipemaker today who is more precise than Wolfgang regarding every element of his work. This can work against him in that his tolerances are so fine as to occasionally make it difficult to remove a stem. If that is an issue with a Becker of yours, rather than risk snapping a tenon, put the pipe in the freezer compartment of your fridge for a half-hour or so and the tenon will shrink just that little bit, making its removal easier. This pipe is new…not just unsmoked, but new.
4.55” long, bowl 1.8” tall. Weight: 1.75 oz., 50 grams.