Danish Estates: Former Handmade Smooth Billiard with Horn Tobacco Pipe

This straight Billiard from Hans "Former" Nielsen is a study in functional art, a blissful deep-dive into the nuance that six decades of experience bring to the craft. Former began making pipes at the age of 15 in Poul Rasmussen's workshop, soon rising to prominence as supervisor of the W.Ø. Larsen workshop before striking out on his own to begin a legacy of creating some of the world's finest smoking instruments. His relentless pursuit of perfection and keen eye for detail has elevated his pipes to some of the most sought-after pieces in the world, a reputation easily upheld by this rendition.

It's hard to pin down what strikes me most and first about it, but I would be remiss if I didn't draw attention to its light weight, as it comes in at around 25 grams. Easily clenchable, of course, as it, along with every other element, is a masterpiece. Shape-wise, I see an ultra-classic Danish Billiard, with a gently rounded taper to its slightly tall bowl, deft cheeking around the base and transition, and a flawless round shank.

The devil is in the details of course, and Former has paid close attention to all of them, such as the kind of subtle inflation and smooth chamfer at the rim that a discerning eye will recognize as one of his signatures. The grain presentation is no less than straight grain, with stunning striations all around the bowl and on the sides of the shank, and whorls of birdseye adorning the rim, shank top, and entire underside. It all looks quite magnificent under a vibrant chestnut stain and immaculate smooth finish, and is contrasted nicely by a smoky ferrule of rounded horn at the shank end. Former has blessed it with a svelte, tapered fishtail mouthpiece and a hand-shaped lip button, ensuring it will provide a comfortable smoke for whoever is lucky enough to acquire it.