Danish Estates: Tom Eltang Smooth Bent Dublin (Star) Tobacco Pipe

Crafting his first pipe at eleven years old, Tom Eltang has been involved in the pipe industry since the late 1960s. Eltang was taken under the wing of Anne-Julie as an apprentice by the age of 16, eventually moving on to work for the Pipe-Dan and Stanwell workshops before venturing out on his own. Now considered one of the most influential craftsmen in the world, Eltang is known for making striking pieces that showcase both incredible artistic talent and meticulous attention to detail. Drawing from the Functionalist school of design, many of his pipes are not just beautiful but also superbly engineered and designed to last.

This bent Dublin from Eltang is a soft and sweeping rendition of the classic shape, possessing a forward momentum demonstrated by the canted fore. The walls of the bowl flare from a vaulted heel to a domed, lenticular rim, the latter shaped by two soft ridgelines along each flank. An acute transition gives way to a curvaceous shank that mirrors the rim's lentiform as the aforementioned ridelines continue all the way through the base of a vulcanite saddle stem. The mouthpiece's soft bend to the button completes the graceful silhouette of the pipe, and its inky hue complements the deep walnut stain dressing the stummel. Rich vertical grain can be seen along all sides of the bowl, while superb patches of birdseye are displayed on the rim and heel, earning this pipe Eltang's "Star" grade.