I like the play of textures of the bamboo shank and the rustication, and the colored stem is a crowning touch. That's an especially tactile pipe, a joy to hold I'd say. I have one bamboo pipe I treasure, a straight Dublin with bamboo shank, I bought in the last hour of a TAPS pipe show at the N.C. Fairgrounds from Bob Hayes, the late great award winning pipe carver. He made me an offer I couldn't refuse. I thought I was hallucinating. I'm sorry to say, I was so amazed I didn't thank him enough, though I did. I'd admired his work at previous shows, so I guess he wanted me to be an owner. I got home and sort of stared at the pipe, like maybe it would disappear.