Abe Herbaugh: Smooth Nautilus (Crane) Tobacco Pipe

The influence of certain pipe makers throughout history usually centers on a specific aspect of the craft: For Sixten Ivarsson, it was his innovative method of drilling and shaping a pipe; for Poul Ilsted, it was his incredible eye for line work and detailed paneling; for Bo Nordh, it was his creative shaping. Nordh is responsible for a number of shapes that artisan carvers consider canon in today's pipe-making world — the Elephant's Foot, the Ballerina, the Sphinx, the Ramses, the Cobra, Oliphant Horn rendition, and the Nautilus. Other artisans have regularly produced their own versions of these Bo designs, continuing the Swedish carver's legacy after his passing in 2006.

Abe Herbaugh is a carver with a strong appreciation for the progression and evolution of pipe making, and it's not uncommon for the American carver to honor historic pipe makers, like Sixten and Bo, in his own work, with this Nautilus clearly a celebration of Nordh's shape. As always, though, Herbaugh doesn't merely craft an exact replica; instead, he perfectly combines the necessary elements of the shape with his own creative vision. For this Nautilus, Abe retained the characteristic, curling shank, forward-pointed rim, and languidly curling stem of Bo's signature design, but added accenting ridgelines through the form as his own stylistic touch. Typically, the Nautilus features a shank that curves up and over the top, reconnecting to the aft side of the bowl and forming a hole. Herbaugh stayed true to that motif but rendered it slightly different, carving ridges through the shank to make it seem as though shank is curling up and draping over the right side of the pipe. It's a subtle variation on the celebrated shape and makes for a more stunning showcase of this block's immaculate birdseye, especially on the left flank. Such a picturesque combination of shaping and grain has earned Herbaugh's "Crane" stamp, indicating his highest grade and superlative work.