Danish Estates: Kai Nielsen Smooth Bent Bulldog (Jewel of Denmark) (A) (Unsmoked) Tobacco Pipe

As the son of Viggo Nielsen, founder of the Bari pipe factory, Kai Nielsen could be said to have pipe making in his blood. At the age of 21, Kai joined Bari's production team and has been making pipes ever since. As part of Nielsen's Jewel of Denmark series, this bent Bulldog represents the Danish carver's finest work, having earned the line's highest grade of A. It's a rather gestural take on the classic form, marrying the form's muscular character to a fluid curvature. The bowl, broad and shapely, features a pair of wrapping beadlines that demarcate the tapered rim from the rest of the stummel. The diamond shank's crisp lines provide a touch of structure to the overall composition, while the stem's languid downturn promotes a comfortable smoking posture. Dressed in a honey-toned smooth finish, the stummel displays some fine strands of flame grain across the bowl's flanks and whorls of birdseye near the heel.