Benni Jorgensen: Smooth Bent Egg Tobacco Pipe

Benni Jørgensen originally worked as a carpenter, but after a back injury in 1980, he was forced to pursue a new career. He found himself, like many Danish artisans did, at the esteemed W.Ø. Larsen workshop, where he worked for 20 years carving the workshop's finest pieces. That time at Larsen gave Jørgensen time to hone his craft, fine tuning his approach to shaping and finishing, and today he produces pipes under his own name. His work showcases a penchant for fluid, gestural shapes with touches of organicism, as evidenced by this bent Egg.

Flowing seamlessly from the fore of the rim to the bit of stem, this piece possesses a curvaceous, elegant form that captures the eye. The broad, ovoid shank reaches through the tight-knit transition to the heel of the bowl, seemingly driving the bowl up and forward in profile. The cheeking of the transition accentuates the bowl's rounded qualities, while the peaks of the concave rim and the flanking ridgelines of the shank offer touches of firmness to the fluid composition. A saddle stem of jet-black vulcanite tops off the design and arcs for a comfortable smoking posture, its steep downturn completing a sleek S-curve out back. The stummel wears a vibrant contrast stain and smooth finish that showcase some handsome, windswept flame grain on either flank of the bowl, following the implied momentum of its shaping, while the underside boasts dense fields of birdseye. Fetching and stylish, this piece possesses the keen eye for shaping and finishing that Jørgensen has refined for over 40 years, and all of those years are on full display with this pipe.