Benni Jorgensen: Smooth Tomato Tobacco Pipe

Benni Jorgensen originally worked as a carpenter but a back injury in 1980 forced him to pursue another career, which fortunately resulted in him pursuing pipe making full time. Jorgensen would work for the esteemed W.Ø. Larsen workshop for 20 years, remaining there until they closed their doors in 2005 and allowed him to hone his skills that he proudly showcases in the exquisite smoking instruments he crafts. Benni's remarkable talents are proudly displayed on this Tomato design, continuing his penchant for fluid and curvaceous forms that have become somewhat of a signature aesthetic for the Danish artisan.

Though it's a relatively short pipe, measuring just barely over five inches in length, there's plenty to appreciate and admire about this piece. The crisp ridgelines along the side of the lenticular shank sweep downward to the bowl, creating prominent cheeking at the transition and further accentuating the bowl's plumpness. Those ridgelines also contribute to the bowl's lifted look, seemingly sitting perched on the end of the shank and urging forward from out of the transition. While this piece is certainly delightful to cradle in hand with its inviting curves, the grain orientation is also stellar and will warrant attention. Tight streaks of vertical grain envelope the bowl's bulbous flanks while a mesmerizing array of birdseye dominates the underside, wonderfully illuminated by a vibrant contrast stain. The smaller diameter of the saddle stem in relation to the shank face directs attention toward the stummel while the disc-shaped base of the stem mirrors the line around the chamfered rim. A beautiful piece from Benni and one that will monopolize the attention of anyone lucky enough to add it to their collection.