Danish Estates: Kent Rasmussen Smooth Freehand with Masur Birch (Three Star) Tobacco Pipe

Kent Rasmussen grew up working with wood and spent the early part of his life as a traditional artist, before transitioning into the art of pipe making. His background in architecture and engineering served him well in that transition, and it also helps to explain how the Danish carver is able to render such distinctive, and sometimes highly sculptural, pipes. This Freehand is an excellent example of the Dane's approach to pipe making, as it displays the raw artistic character that defines a great deal of the carver's work.

This piece bears some striking similarities to the Nautilus shape, a design originated by Bo Nordh. It shares the Nautilus' consistent, rounding undercurve and organic playfulness, though this particular piece lacks the flared rim and wrapping shank that define the Nautilus. The flanks of the bowl are subtly paneled and display ridgelines that spiral and frame the totality of the stummel, evoking the contours and coiled appearance of a weathered sea shell. The demurely curved, push-style saddle stem feeds into a mortise reinforced with a metallic band, and the shoulders of the mouthpiece are composed of masur birch, the warm hardwood adding a dose of complementary color to the overall composition. An auburn-hued smooth finish dresses the stummel and highlights beautiful constellations of birdseye on either flank of the bowl, providing further visual appeal.