Danish Estates: Suhr Rusticated Bulldog with Horn Stem Tobacco Pipe

Johannes Rasmussen is the artisan behind Suhr pipes, continuing a family tradition that began in Denmark during the 1940s from a pipe shop of the same name that became a manufacturer later, having employed esteemed pipe makers such as Sixten Ivarsson and Poul Rasmussen, Johannes' grandfather. Having also studied under fellow artisan Tom Eltang, the young pipe maker has quite the portfolio himself now, including this rusticated Bulldog. A trim, compact piece, the bowl is traditionally crafted, with twin beadlines wrapping around its round form below the domed rim. Beneath the lines, the lower half of the bowl slopes gradually down to the firm heel, transitioning to the crisp, precise lines of the form's characteristic diamond shank. The Danish artisan has imbued this pipe with a genuine horn stem of cream and beige hues, making use of a medium that was used on pipes in the early 19th century. Dressed in a black-stained, craggy rustication, except for the area between the beadlines and the very top of the rim, both of which are stained a light mahogany color, this slightly canted Bulldog is also a sure-sitter, thanks to the underside of the heel and shank.