Misc. Estates: Hilson (by Rainer Barbi) Smooth Bent Apple with Silver Tobacco Pipe

Hilson's history stretches back to 1846, with Jean-Claude, or Jean-Paul depending on your source, Hillen's founding of a trading company in Bree, Belgium with a focus on tobacco and tobacco-related goods. Between then and the 1960s, the company began to produce pipes in Bree under the name Hilson and found success in many European countries, receiving ample praise for their smoking quality and craftsmanship. Facing financial issues, the marque was acquired by Gubbels, the manufacturing concern behind Porsche and Bugatti design pipes, as well as Big Ben pipes, and their plant in Bree was shut down before moving all production to Roermond in the Netherlands. This bent Apple was designed by renowned German artisan Rainer Barbi and is possessed of a lilting, understated curvature through its shank and stem. The bowl is plump and comfortable in the hand, with plenty of roundness, and it acts as a lovely canvas for the warm, walnut-hued stain which dresses the stummel.