Danish Estates: S. Bang Smooth Bent Dublin (B) Tobacco Pipe

Per Hansen and Ulf Noltensmeier were the sole artisans employed by Svend Bang in his eponymous workshop for almost 50 years, starting in 1970 and producing pipes of superlative quality until their simultaneous retirement in 2019. As such, their work has now become extremely rare and, due to their exemplary smoking qualities and stunning beauty, supremely collectible, though, looking at this bent Dublin from the duo, it's not hard to see why.

A fluidly curved take on the classic shape, this piece features a hearty, full-bodied bowl that acts as the center of its visual weight, though its shank and stem have been rendered with such excellent proportions that they balance this bowl's remarkable heft. Said bowl stands on a sweeping heel with a firm presence at the fore, and it grows towering walls that rise with an expressive flare to the rim. The outer edge of the rim is lined with a firm ridge, while the inner portion is shaped in a slight dome in the areas it's not crowned with a wreath of craggy plateau, the blooming terminus of the bowl nearly as broad as the walls are tall. This rim overlooks a capacious chamber with a neat chamfer near its inner edge that makes for easy packing, complete with ample insulation for more comfortable smoking. A wide transition out back pairs this bowl to a curling, half-oval shank whose top side is domed, while the underside is framed with ridges that lend its surface a flatter presence. These ridges flow through the lower lines of the shank and continue into the base of a sleek saddle stem rendered from black vulcanite, its bit making a demure downturn for a more comfortable smoking posture. Dressing this pipe is a warm, rich, smooth finish and vibrant auburn stain, revealing a pattern of dense flame wrapping around the bowl and lining the flanks of the shank.