Danish Estates: Lars Ivarsson Sandblasted Tulip (1975) Tobacco Pipe

There are few names in the pipe world that carry with them the same weight as Ivarsson, as this name denotes a veritable pipe making dynasty that spans three generations of immensely talented artisan carvers. Lars Ivarsson is the son of Sixten, who is widely considered to be the father of all modern artisan carving as well, and Lars was the father of Nanna, a carver who is the purified distillate of all of the pipe knowledge that came before her. Along with Sixten, Lars was one of the driving forces behind the formation of the Danish artisan aesthetic and is credited with creating several shapes and features that have since become canon in the greater consciousness of pipedom, all while pushing the boundaries of design that his father set. The Tulip is a shape that demonstrates this quite well, as the differences between his own work and his father's can be seen readily.

I'm impressed by how close these pipes are in age, with less than 15 years in between the two, but an immediately apparent divergence in design, with subtle differences present thanks to Lars' coming into his own as a pipe maker. This piece from 1975 features an oval shank, rather than a round one, and a slightly trimmer shank in general, though one that starts a consistent taper from its transition to the button, slenderizing the aft side while enhancing the sinuousness of the combination's understated S-curve. Viewed from the profile, the ovoid outline of the aft serves to focus a touch more of the visual weight on the bowl, but the enhanced breadth of the top side balances this, contributing to a measured sense of line that focuses on the entirety of the composition rather than any one component. A lifted heel and forward-urging bowl stance unify the fore of these two pipes, with the key difference here being the contours of the bowl itself, as Lars has infused his with a wealth of supple curves and plenty of plumpness, lending it an extremely comfortable feel in hand. The enhanced curvature at the bowl not only helps the feel in hand, but serves to highlight the curves throughout the rest of the composition, evidencing Lars' budding talent as he began to come into his own.

This wonderful piece comes dressed in a crisp, auburn sandblast, offering a wealth of texture for the fingers to appreciate and revealing plenty of lovely grain throughout. Both flanks of this pipe are awash with blasted birdseye, with ample pinpricks of the grain pushing out from the surface of the briar, while the midsection is dominated by rippling growth rings that run the length of the stummel. As a smoking instrument, this is truly a superlative piece. As a part of history, this is a significant example. As a part of the generational significance and legacy of the Ivarsson name, however, this pipe is truly incredible.