Nørding: Hunting Pipe Smooth Hare (2009) Tobacco Pipe

Since the 1960s, Erik Nørding has built a reputation on the Danish Fancy Freehand style. He was among the design movement's earliest pioneers, developing an immediately recognizable shaping aesthetic that forgoes traditional pipe shapes for organic and floral Freehands defined by evocative finishes and detailed flourishes. He's also an avid hunter — his house filled with myriad wall mounts of game from around the world, and Nørding's Hunting Pipe series merges the carver's favorite past time with his distinctive design style.

An annual installment since 1995, the series honors global conservation efforts by celebrating a specific animal through a singular pipe shape each year. This Hare edition from 2009 is essentially a paneled bent Brandy, offering a faceted bowl that stands at the fore of a boxy shank and a demurely curved saddle stem. Dressed in a warm, grain-defining smooth finish, the stummel offers a wealth of attractive grain.