Tine Balleby: Smooth Bent Egg with Boxwood Tobacco Pipe

Tine Balleby, the second-generation pipe maker from the Balleby family, learned the craft from her father, the esteemed Kurt Balleby. Having spent years assisting with finishing and stem work while apprenticing under him, Tine now creates pipes that uphold the high standards of quality her father established. She employs a meticulous process to ensure precision and durability in every pipe's finish, stem, and engineering, while her own creativity enhances the recognizable Balleby aesthetic. Growing up around pipe making, Tine has developed a deep appreciation for the craft, with an instinct for blending beauty and functionality. While influenced by her father's artistry, Tine's mastery of the craft is uniquely her own, evident in pieces like this bent Egg, which showcases her exceptional skill. Thoroughly Danish in nature, this bent Egg features a generous undercurve throughout the design, and a heavily cheeked transition. This piece features a distinct lifted heel that further emphasizes the bowl's low-hanging curve, a design cue that is present in both Tine's and her father's designs. The bowl's dramatic forward cant gives the entire piece an urging momentum, accentuated by the sloped rim. The shank is tear drop-like, informed by a crisp ridgeline that flows through the left side of the stummel, as seen outlining the warm boxwood accent along the shank face. Dressing the stummel is a handsome, warm-toned stain that highlights dense swirls of birdseye along the bowl's flanks.