Danish Estates: Teddy Knudsen Sandblasted Apple with Bamboo Tobacco Pipe

Teddy Knudsen is one of the most well-respected and highly regarded pipe makers in the world. Knudsen's career in pipe making began in 1967 when, while in the Danish Air Force, he began making pipes to sell to his fellow airmen and staff at the radar station where he worked. From that point on, after retiring from his service, Knudsen began making pipes full time, earning a name for himself through meticulous work that focuses on perfecting the shape of every pipe he produces, reflected in his startlingly low annual production. This Apple from the Danish artisan is a testament to his work ethic, wherein each line and every decision in crafting the profile is made purposefully.

Though certainly not a traditionally inclined Apple, this pipe is certainly an excellent illustration of a Danish rendition, its composition eschewing the hearty shank and stem in favor of a lithe combination extended by two knuckles of bamboo. The rhythm of the bamboo knuckles is visually mirrored by the saddle stem's base, working to make the length a cohesive composition. The stem is abbreviated, and the vulcanite it meets is held by the bamboo, divot on its left flank extended and completed by the ring of ebony, a subtle detail that unifies the look of the pipe, with the shank's briar receiving the same treatment, carved expertly. The shank is trim, transitioning at an obtuse angle, feeding the aft's gentle swell, growing more bulbous as it reaches the flanks and fore. The heel lifts as it sweeps up toward the bowl, softening the lines of the pipe, and making for a silhouette that exudes a practical elegance, with each segment of the piece made with clear intent. The stummel is finished in a deep chestnut stain and masterful sandblast that reveals growth rings rising up the bowl, intersected with striations of implied flame.