German Estates: Rainer Barbi Smooth Bent Bulldog (AR) (2911) (1992-1997) Tobacco Pipe

The stamping on this bent Bulldog from Rainer Barbi indicates it was made in the 1990s, a period in which many of the venerated pipe maker's pieces displayed more rounded, softer linework, but this piece exudes a crisp aesthetic. The bowl stands taller than most of his Bulldogs, with twin beadlines around a high-set waist and a sleek taper leading downward to a pointed heel. A center ridgeline begins at the heel, with flanking ridgelines spreading to either side to both demarcate the underside of the pipe and become the edges of the diamond shank. The profile continues into the shank and stem, tapering continually as it races toward the lip button of an amber-hued acrylic mouthpiece. Made even more collectible since the passing of the great German carver in 2011, this pipe will earn a much-deserved place of honor in a discerning collector's rotation.