Roman (Doc) Kovalev

He works mainly with Calabrian briar and sometimes strawberry wood, something that Paolo Becker is also working in. It is called that because of the way it takes a blast and has nothing to do with strawberries'. In Roman's own words "It’s not so easy to invent something really new, which can bring you a great distinction in pipe-making. Of course the distinction of a pipe-maker is in his style and its reconcilability. This is the core of the craftsmanship. The art of craftsmanship is in something inconspicuous. May be I’m not so distinctive in the pipes I make, but I really like the classical interpretation of the pipes shapes. Making a pipe I do some things in my own way trying my best preserve all the qualities of a tobacco smoking instrument and create a feast-to-the-eye object. Always in search for the harmony, for some balance between aesthetics and utility."

Please note there are few earlier pipes of Roman floating around the Internet that were made when the Russian Ruble was less.

Roman lives in Niznevartovsk that is near Tomsk in Siberia a brief 3500 kilometers (2200 miles), from Moscow. That makes him the only Siberian pipe maker. What I particular like about Roman's pipe aesthetically is that the join between the stem and shank is one of the smoothest I have ever seen/felt. More like something I would find on an S. Bang. I have no hesitation in recommending these pipes to any discriminating smoker. As he was originally a Medical Doctor all his pipes are stamped DOC.