Satou

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See also Smio Satou History an excellent article courtesy of Smokingpipes.com

"If there is a pipe artisan in the world that does better work in bamboo than Smio Satou, I am not aware of him. If there is a craftsman who imbues his work with better engineering and a more meticulous attention to detail, I have yet to see his work. The shape of this pipe is a bit of departure for the normally conservative Satou-san, with a subtly asymmetrical undulating rim and a positively organic juxtaposition of shank and bowl. The straight grain on the bowl is stellar and the birdseye of the rim is about as close to perfect as you are likely to see on this side of the veil." --Bear Graves, courtesy of Smokingpipes.com.

"Small, quiet, harmonious, this volcano presents much of what is best in a pipe from Satou-san. The rim bears the most subtle of oval shapes, as well as an ever-so-slight saddle contour. Satou-san then juxtaposes a back of bowl, with about 80 degrees of angle to the shank, with a gently concave front. This balancing of surfaces serves to visually augment the prow at the front of the heel. The shank and bit are quite thick, and compositionally perfect. The tsuishu inlay in the bit is incredibly labor intensive and just the right ending to this marvelous composition." --Bear Graves, courtesy of Smokingpipes.com.

"Satou Smooth Brandy with Bamboo: I am very taken with this particular pipe from Smio Satou. The subtle curvature of the bamboo and the slight forward lean of the bowl create a stunning visual combination. Not only does the bamboo exhibit that beautiful curve and thereby contribute so much to the larger composition, it's an incredibly beautiful piece of bamboo in its own right, possessing clean, regularly spaced, well-defined knuckles. The grain on the bowl is nothing short of extraordinary-- tight, super-fine, regular and contrasted beautifully. There are a couple of minor sand-pits near the bottom of the bowl, however. All in all, an extraordinary piece." -- Sykes Wilford, courtesy of Smokingpipes.com.