German Estates: Frank Axmacher Smooth Nautilus (A) (2010) (Unsmoked) Tobacco Pipe

Frank Axmacher is a German artisan whose style primarily comprises sophisticated interpretations of classic shapes, often in the Danish style. This Nautilus maintains that sophisticated style, though in an eye-catching, contemporary form, proving to be an excellent example of the shape pioneered by Swedish artisan Bo Nordh. The Nautilus shape takes inspiration from nature, evoking the form of its namesake snail through its stummel, with the shank comprising a short, tapering length of briar that usually curls upward and joins to the bowl. Here, Axmacher has compressed the shank slightly, enhancing its curves as the line through the underside arcs up to form the aft, complete with a hole in the center to add a bit of negative space and draw the eye to the shank. Said shank is inlaid with a band of brass almost in line with its central hole, and this brass band pairs the stummel to a sleek and lengthy stem of tapering black vulcanite that tapers as it reaches toward the button. Up front, the bowl rises out of a sweeping heel and flares out to the rim, reminiscent of its eponymous mollusk's spiraling, expanding look, with this rim offering a steep slope into the chamber.

This shape abounds with fine details, such as the subtle, ovoid shape of the stummel, which compresses the flanks of the bowl significantly and grants the rim an eye-catching outline. What most stands out to me, however, is the slight bit of hollow carving at both sides of the shank's central hole, reinforcing the visual draw of the aft side's unique shaping and lending this pipe a good bit of balance. Additionally, this bit of carving further rounds out the look of the shank and emphasizes the organicism of the form while providing ample tactile detail to appreciate while smoking. Finish-wise, this piece is dressed in a rich, oak-toned stain that unveils a truly stunning display of grain. The entire middle of the stummel is wrapped in an unbroken band of cross grain, framing the flanks and evidencing Axmacher's skill for reading briar. Both sides of the stummel are awash in vast oceans of birdseye, but the left side showcases one of the most densely populated fields of the swirling pinpricks that I've ever seen. This left side is completely covered in birdseye, so much so that one can get lost in it, and it solidifies this piece as one that would be a key member in any collection of Axmacher's work.

-John McElheny