The stoners in your life probably already have pipes, but do they have pipes adorned in gold moons with matching stash jars? Does their current dab rig support local art? The Pacific Northwest is an art glass haven, and Seattle-areaĀ cannabis glass artistsĀ are creating surprising and delightful gifts.
Some semantics: I’m using “glass” as a catch-all here, but this list also includes ceramicists. Most of these creators have online stores, although you may be able to find some of them in or adjacent to your local dispensary. None of these are mass-produced, so what you see in person might be a little different.
Wonder Pipes
šø: Wonder Pipes
Ceramicist J. Wonder has built a cult following for Wonder Pipes. Her collection of fairy-tale porcelain smoking devices, all hand-carved and hand-painted with whimsical designsāthink Claireās, if it were a high-quality head shop. They make unique, unexpected gifts and beautiful coffee-table conversation pieces. Get Best Buds pipes for your favorite smoking buddy ($169.99-$445, in pink, white, or sunflower) and end up with a cool present for yourself.
For a bigger-ticket gift, opt for one of Wonder Pipesā matching sets, available in some of the brandās most popular designs: The three-pieceĀ Moon Phase Smoking SetĀ comes with a hand pipe, ashtray, and stash jar adorned withĀ 22K gold starsĀ ($449.99); the three-pieceĀ Jasper Bee setĀ includes a hand pipe, stash jar, and hexagonal ashtray withĀ little bee accentsĀ in a decidedly less Lisa Frank orange, black, and yellow color palette ($450); and the adorably minimalistĀ Heart Set, a duo of a hand pipe and stash jar, each painted with delicate pink hearts ($179.99).
Special K Glass
šø: Special K Glass
Kris Uhlhom, who works under the name Special K, has been operating his Seattle studio since 1998, with his original inspiration coming from the 1990s glass scene in his native Eugene, Oregon. His work is inspired by that classic headshop look but married with some Pacific Northwest artisan aestheticāthe kind of look you might find in an expensive display piece like a vase, knick-knack, or paperweight, but entirely functional. The Dichro Orb is a graceful green bong with a bowl on top and a pipe-like mouthpiece ($190). The Sunshine Gord is shaped, fittingly, like a squash, with droplets of yellow on the body and a green stem asā¦ the stem ($120).
Even the smaller pieces are completelyĀ coffee-table-appropriate, like the subtle-looking 8ā GlowĀ Art Deco Bud VaseĀ ($100), with a Deco-inspired pattern of blue and yellow glass running through a more textured, shimmering black glass. In a more blatantly trippy design, the bulbous mushroom-shapedĀ Amber AmantinaĀ ($120) has a swirling red cap and an amber base that glows in the dark. For non-smokers, he does actually make things like bowls, vases, glasses, andĀ goblets, too.
Foggy Moon
šø: Foggy Moon
Port Orchard-based pottery collection Foggy Moon is full of earthy, witchy whimsy. While their wares arenāt exclusively cannabis-related, they have a diverse selection of cute and colorful pipes, each handmade and wheel-thrown with flat ends that allow them to be displayed as art when not in use. All priced at $40 or less, theyāre also a squeal of a deal.
Iām partial to theirĀ fruit and vegetable pipes, each with its own nontraditional shape, like the palm-ableĀ strawberry designĀ ($38) and similarly-shapedĀ peachĀ ($38). TheĀ eggplant pipeĀ ($38)ās mouthpiece is the stem, which gives it a bolder presence on the shelf. Longer, more traditionally shaped pipes take on creative textures and finishes, like theĀ pearlescent unicorn hornĀ ($40), smooth galaxy pipes ($38, available in various colors), and the geode texture pipes, including one in aĀ lapis lazuli glaze.
Tako Glass
šø: Tako Glass
For more traditional blown glass, Sequim-based Tako Glass achieves bright colors and intricate designs that stand out from the pack. Theyāre likeĀ highbrow decorative glass pieces made functionalālike the Ancient Egyptian collection ofĀ thick chillum pipesĀ ($345), which use clear glass and silver to create a wavy, encased design with bold colors. Some of the work is incredibly precise, like theĀ Stargazer Opal Mini RigĀ ($420, nice), which they wrap in a band of flashy, iridescent glass lined in black. Bolder colors shine through without muddling on more opaque pieces, like the saxophone-shapedĀ Serendipity Pocket SherlockĀ ($410), with layers of vivid pink, orange, purple, and red.
Beezy Glass
šø: Beezy Glass
Also based in Sequim, Beezy Glass, Takoās spouse, delivers more playful blown-glass designs with some adorable sculptural elements. She is especially known for her cute little tree frogs with giant, iridescent eyes. Most classic hand pipesāfeaturing the little amphibian friends clinging to the bowlpieceāwill run you under $100. For something fancier, the frogs also adorn a few sets of terp slurper marbles, a dazzling accessory thatās a fun gift choice for a dabber who’s already well-equipped. The fanciest set features a teal frog over clear marbles that encase a fiery, opal-like sphere ($280).
Beezy also makesĀ delicate, stoner-aesthetic glass jewelry, from magical littleĀ mushroom pendantsĀ ($40) to flashy and functionalĀ glitter wand dab pendantsĀ ($60).
Glowpipes
šø: Glowpipes
Wanna make things extra trippy? Stanwood-based glassblower Jason Thiemann, also sought-after for other glass art like memorial keepsakes, claims to be the first to create “true glow-in-the-dark borosilicate glass”āboth glow-in-the-dark and safe to smoke from. What a concept!
His Glow Pipes shop is dedicated to his work in glow-in-the-dark and color-changing glass, and there’s a surprising amount of variety in there. The Chubby Alien pipe ($55) has a ceramic alien head design fused to a flattened stem and, like the other glow-in-the-dark pieces, glows a bright, frosty blue. The Heisenglow pipe ($55) has a tiny print of Walter White from Breaking Bad on itāit makes sense for the color, although owning a pipe with a well-known fictional methlord on it might raise questions.
The Fumed Maria Ring Glass Pipe ($65) has a swirling, iridescent design from infused gold and silver, with glow-in-the-dark bulbs running down the bowl and stem. For the buddy who’s always losing their lil weed accessories, Thiemann makes a glow-in-the-dark carb cap and dabber with a twisty glow running through the center ($75 as a set). His Illuminati Glass pieces turn green under UV light; the Green Hulk pipe ($65) contains both kinds of glass, and shifts the glow to a more turquoise color.
Ballard Pipe Co
šø: Ballard Pipe Co
Weāve focused on a lot of wild and whimsical stuff in here so far, but whatās out there for your REI-wearing, GORP-crunching friend (who is also maybe your dad)? Ballard Pipe Co. makes compact, utilitarian pipes that probably match your recipientās Kleen Kanteen, with sleek aluminum bodies and briarwood bowls. Caps screw onto both the mouthpiece and bowl ends when not in use, making them waterproof and odorless, according to the manufacturers (the reviews note that while itās not odorless, it does help). Their filtration system is designed to cool the smoke before it reaches your lungs for a smooth hit.
The company has one flagship model, and the cost will depend on how many accessories you get. The whole kit and kaboodle, the Deluxe Set ($39.99, available inĀ blackĀ andĀ silver) comes with the base model, an extra bowl cap that doubles as a stash container, and extra O-rings and filters.
Soft Serve Glass
šø: Soft Serve Glass
Under the banner of Soft Serve Glass, Seattle artist Jeff Ballard makes one-of-a-kind pieces that range from adorable to colorful to avant-garde. However, his signature pieces are bongs shaped like inverted ice cream cones that have begun to melt on the floor. Other recent works include a āfruit stripeā dab rig with spherical feet and a posh bong in purple and gold with a delicate pattern running along the bottom half.
Unlike many of his fellows, Ballard doesnāt run an online store or an Etsy for his glass, but heĀ runs auctions on his InstagramĀ @softserveglassĀ semi-regularly. To scoop up one of these pieces, youāll have to watch that spot or browse high-end local or online glass shops. JustĀ be prepared to drop a pretty pennyāthis purple and gold bong goes forĀ 3,000 entire American dollarsĀ at the online smoke shop that grabbed it.
