The Fire Red Sherlock Glass Bubbler with Reversal is a one-of-a-kind piece hand-built by Chris Lezak. It pairs the classic upswept Sherlock shape with a reversal disc, silver fuming and an encased opal marble. LA Pipes lists it at $199.99, and like all of Lezak's work in this line, it's a single piece.
What it is
A Sherlock is the curved-stem pipe silhouette, named for the detective's pipe. Built as a bubbler, it holds a small amount of water, so it works like a hand pipe with water filtration and without the setup of a full-size bong. The fire-red body frames a reversal disc, which is what sets this one apart from a plain fumed piece.
Specs
- Format: Sherlock bubbler with reversal
- Build: four separate sections welded together
- Details: reversal disc, silver fuming, encased opal marble
- Size: about 2.5–3-inch-wide disc, 5–6 inches overall
- Bowl: full-depth bowl with no airflow restrictions
- Signed: yes, by the artist
- Price: $199.99
- Availability: one of one
The reversal and the fuming
A reversal is one of the more technical moves in heady glass. The disc carries worked color and fuming set into the glass, so the pattern shows through clear glass and reads differently depending on light and angle. It takes more time and control than a single fumed coat.
Silver fuming adds another layer. Silver is vaporized onto the glass, and fumed pieces shift color as they get used, so the pipe keeps changing after it's yours. The encased opal marble is sealed inside as a close-up detail.
Who it's for
This is for someone who already owns a couple of decent pieces and wants the next one to be a step up in craft: a bubbler they reach for daily that also holds up as an object on the shelf. The reversal detail rewards people who actually look at their glass, and the size keeps it easy to hold and easy to clean.
The hand behind it
Heady glass treats functional pipes as craft objects worth signing and collecting, and Chris Lezak works in that tradition. His pieces are signed, and no two are alike. Buying one is closer to buying from a maker than grabbing a shelf piece: there is no second copy of this exact bubbler.
Lezak's Crimson Fire Hammer Bubbler used the same reversal disc, silver fuming and opal marble on a hammer shape. For production Sherlock bubblers, compare LA Pipes' Sherbub or the GRAV Rocker Sherlock.
Where it sells
It's listed at $199.99 through LA Pipes, which carries Lezak Glass. When it sells, that exact bubbler is gone.