Henri Sorensen: Sandblasted Brandy with Bamboo Tobacco Pipe

With tutelage from Tom Eltang, Lasse Skovgaard, Kai Neilsen, and Jens "Tao" Nielsen, Henri Sørensen has established himself among Denmark's burgeoning generation of talented young artisan pipe makers. His prior expertise as a glazier brings craftsmanship experience to his pipe making as well as an established artistic eye, and his work often draws inspiration from Danish greats.

An archetypal Danish pipe, this Sørensen Brandy could well have been fashioned decades prior. Its sleek design, minimalist profile, and reserved bamboo were hallmarks of Danish pipes in the '60s and '70s, making this a beautiful homage to the tradition and history of Danish artisan pipe making. Pertly poised on the end of the arrow straight shank, the Brandy bowl tapers dramatically toward the rim from a voluptuous base, and its sandblast highlights a breathtaking array of ring grain. The dark finish makes the pale bamboo pop in contrast, and the trim stem features a base that emulates the shaping of the bamboo's knuckles for a cohesive presentation that incorporates the stem into the entire composition.