Misc. Estates: Peter Matzhold Smooth Freehand (CU) (1) (Unsmoked) Tobacco Pipe

Before becoming a pipe-maker, Peter Matzhold studied and worked as an architect in Graz, Austria. He first picked up pipe-making as a hobby, but after displaying his pipes in an art gallery to great reception, Matzhold decided to make his hobby a career. Matzhold strives to make his pieces standout, commonly fashioning inventive Freehands or traditional shapes that frame handsome grain. Matzhold never uses fills on his pipes, often dresses them in vivid auburn stains, and occasionally utilizes exotic hardwood accents, creating a signature style that is instantly identifiable.

This Freehand by Peter Matzhold is a bowl-centric composition that showcases his elegant line work. Two defined panels on the flanks capture one's attention, which are framed by ovoid ridgelines that flatten near the rim and form a pronounced vertex near the transition. In contrast, the fore features dramatic curvature, arcing 90-degrees from the rim to the transition and showcasing an unbroken swath of mesmerizing birdseye in the process. The aft also highlights a tightly-packed pattern of birdseye, but it blends into wispy cross grain on the rim, which sweeps downward onto each shapely flank. Out back, the low-set transition flows into a petite shank that meets a hardwood accent on the stem base, its divided walnut and blonde hues providing both a dark and bright contrast to the auburn stain on the stummel. The piece is topped off with a sleek saddle stem, gently elongating the profile while firmly fixating the composition on the bowl. The sublime shaping and stellar grain resulted in this piece receiving Mazthold's coveted "CU" stamp, his highest grade, making this Freehand one of his most enticing pipes.