Henri Sorensen: Sandblasted Billiard 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 Billiard is a fetching showcase of Sørensen's style, offering dynamic shaping and crisp line work . At less than fives inches in total length, this piece is a compact rendition of the shape chart standard, making it perfect for on-the-go smoking. Even given its abbreviated size, however, this piece boasts a rather muscular build, in part thanks to the pronounced ridgeline and paneled facets that undergird the stummel. The heel, for instance, is flanked by angled panels that lend the fore of the composition a structural appearance, which takes the form of a distinctive V-shape. These panels, along with the ridgeline under the shank, offer some stark contrast to the shape's rounded curves, resulting in a rather eye-catching silhouette. A dark sandblast dresses the stummel and highlights some fetching grain around the bowl, save for the rim, which is smoothly polished and stained an auburn hue to mirror the stem's amber tones.