Abe Herbaugh: Sandblasted Bent Egg with Horn Tobacco Pipe

Based in Vermont, Abe Herbaugh is among the world's most premier artisans, and his work is renowned for its technical quality, aesthetic distinctness, and remarkable accent work. Herbaugh was already a seasoned instrument repairman before he transitioned to artisan pipe making, and such a background has translated seamlessly to handmade pipes: His understanding of tools, processes, and engineering are evident in his work, often pushing the aesthetic and craftsmanship boundaries of pipe making. With an equal appreciation for traditional designs as well as the design sensibilities of iconic carvers before him, Herbaugh boasts a robust portfolio of classic shapes with deftly crafted accents alongside avant-garde Freehands of singular style.

This bent Egg falls into the more traditional side of Herbaugh œuvre, drawing inspiration from Danish design cues but with a slightly stronger sense of muscularity à la the aesthetic conventions of many North American makers. Despite the shank and bowl's relative robustness, this piece urges forward with notable dynamism that makes the shape more aerodynamic in profile. The bowl lilts into a forward cant at the end of a curled shank, and the stem's recurve perfectly balances and matches with the shank's curve, only turning downward instead of upward. Most intricate is Herbaugh's handling of the horn accent and the stem base: The horn flares at the end into a slight dome, and the stem base mirrors this aspect to aesthetically integrate the stem into the overall design's composition. It's a reserved and impressive design from fit to finish.