American Estates: Brad Pohlmann Smooth Bent Dublin (2017) Tobacco Pipe

Brad Pohlmann's foray into pipe making begins in New York circa 1975, when Pohlmann returned from what he called a "pipe pilgrimage," traveling to London in order to visit the great tobacco shops of old, with a journey to Scotland to see the Rattray's factory at work. As the years passed, he continued, traipsing across the United States and meeting with a myriad of pipe makers so that he could open his own tobacconist shop and sell high quality pipes. In his travels, he stumbled across the Briar Workshop, going on to spend five years working with Elliot Nachwalter, J.T. Cooke, and Jorg Jemelka to carve pipes and hone his abilities. In the 1980s Pohlmann started what would become a 16 year career in the computer industry, doing pipe repairs and making them for friends at odd intervals. In 2003 Pohlmann returned to his passion and began making pipes full time under his own name, almost 30 years after his journey began, taking all of the knowledge he had acquired before and using it to carve high-quality artisan pieces such as this bent Dublin.

A sweeping, fluid bent Dublin rendition, this piece from Brad Pohlmann is an impressive display of his precise shaping, though one which is presented in strikingly compact dimensions. Just under five inches long, this is a pipe that can be taken just about anywhere, its short footprint contrasted by the more imposing presence of the bowl, with said bowl rising to a comparatively tall height. From atop a sweeping heel, this bowl takes on a dramatic expansion out to a broad rim that rises at the middle and dips significantly at the fore and aft. This shaping style immediately draws the eye toward the bowl and places nearly all of the visual weight on its robust structure. At its peak in the middle, the bowl's chamber boasts a subtle chamfer inward that allows for easy loading of tobacco and accentuates the curving outline of the rim. A wide transition here leaves room to drape a digit and gives way to a curling shank that flares out gently as it reaches toward the saddle stem. Said stem features its own flare out toward the base, while the saddle bit slenderizes the aft side here, placing further emphasis on the presence of the bowl and offering a comfortable smoking posture. Dressed in a warm, mahogany-hued stain, the stummel here showcases a wealth of handsome grain, with flame flickering around the bowl and birdseye across the rim.