Henri Sorensen: Sandblasted Apple with Bamboo Tobacco Pipe

Like many artisan makers, Henri Sørensen entered the craft through his love of pipe smoking, a hobby he shared with his brother. Originally a glazier by trade, Sørensen had always held an affinity for old-school craftsmanship, so it didn't take long for the Danish carver to decide to make a pipe of his own. As a craftsman, Sørensen takes inspiration from Denmark's rich pipe-making history, with his pipes reflecting the tutelage he received from fellow carvers like Jens "Tao" Nielsen, Tom Eltang, and Lasse Skovgaard. That being said, Sørensen's pipe are distinctly his own, as each piece is imbued with the Danish carver's unique creative aesthetic.

This Apple brilliantly showcases the Sørensen's distinctive style, which tends to prioritize sleek lines, crisp sandblasts, and handsome accenting materials. Shape-wise, this is a fairly streamlined, no-nonsense take on the classic form, presenting a pert, well-rounded bowl that's set to an arrow-straight shank-and-stem arrangement. The trim shank here, however, is extended by two knuckles of bamboo, which add a distinctive visual rhythm to the aft side of the composition, as each node of the dense grass is evenly spaced from the transition to the shoulders of the saddle stem. An earth-toned sandblast further distinguishes this fetching piece, unveiling rippling growth rings that rise across the flanks of the bowl before terminating at a smoothly polished rim.