Nording: Cut Smooth Acorn (E) Tobacco Pipe

The grades of Erik Nording's Cut Smooth series, an entirely hand made line from the Danish carver, range from 1 to 4, though the "E" grade denotes pieces with especially choice grain and shaping, pieces such as this Acorn. Compared to his other work, this pipe is rather compact, coming in at just under five inches long, and is on the reserved side of his shaping style, presenting with a rather sinuous build. The stem here is a trim black acrylic saddle affair that arcs out of an elegantly upturned length of shank, the shank, in turn, ebbing out from a wide, thick transition, leaving plenty of room to drape a thumb. There's a good deal of heartiness present at the bowl which showcases a gentle flare to the rim from a sweeping heel, expanding to a high-set waistline which precipitates a slight taper to the rim. The shape here is notable, as, when viewed from above, there's a bit of compression about the fore and aft which extends the flanks' presence a bit, though it keeps a comfortable feel in hand. Dressing the briar here is a warm auburn-mahogany stain that reveals dense streaks of flame grain flickering around the bowl, while the rim is peppered with birdseye.