Misc. Estates: Bjorn Bengtsson Smooth Billiard with Bamboo (185) (1985) Tobacco Pipe

Bjorn Bengtsson is a Swedish artisan that we've seen precious little of in our history, though the quality of his work speaks for itself, as his nearly six decades of experience contribute to a concise, clean sense of line, and a wonderful grasp on the internal engineering of his pipes. Though Bengtsson passed away in 2023 at the age of 74, his legacy lives on through his work. This Billiard is a fine showcase of Bengtsson's style, displaying his Danish influences and his skill at rendering timeless forms in sophisticated fashion. At nearly six inches long, this Billiard is not an especially compact take on the form, though it's one that boasts a remarkable litheness and an impressively light weight.

The transition is wide, and it pairs the bowl to a very brief shank, one that tapers subtly before meeting a trim band of black vulcanite. This small band acts as a junction to a stretch of bamboo comprising three knuckles of the dense grass, extending the reach of the pipe significantly and adding a good deal of organicism to the composition. Additionally, this bamboo keeps the pipe quite light overall, making it well-suited to hands-free smoking, despite being straight. Another small band of vulcanite marks the furthest side of the bamboo, where it's fitted to a sleekly tapering stem of matching vulcanite that further enhances the comparatively slim appearance of the composition's aft side. At both the left and right flanks of the bamboo, a small divot in the grass is continued into the framing fitments of vulcanite, underscoring the organic look of this piece and lending it a cohesive appearance. Up front, the bowl stands on a rounded and slightly pronounced heel, expanding out to a low-set waist before its walls take on a subdued, arcing taper to the rim in classic Danish Billiard fashion. These walls nicely insulate the chamber and provide plenty of space for the warm, rich stain of the stummel to showcase handsome grain. The walls of the bowl are surrounded by flickering flame grain, with the underside's broad surfaces covered by a swirling pattern of birdseye.