Cornelius Manz: Sandblasted Acorn with Horn Tobacco Pipe

Cornelius Mänz's style displays a strong affinity for organic designs, the German carver taking inspiration from nature's inherently beautiful imperfections to craft some of the most admired and expertly engineered pipes of the modern era. It's most evident in his Egg and Mushroom designs, with this Acorn interpretation continuing his penchant for organic shapes and exhibiting the oft-seen influence of Danish pipe making in Cornelius' work.

The bowl gradually tapers from its high-set waistline down to its rounded heel spur, which droops past the stout, flaring shank. Said bowl has also been shaped perfectly to showcase all of the striking ring grain that wraps around its flanks. The light depth sandblast has been perfectly executed, bringing out the briar's natural grain without distorting the line work and stellar shaping. Many collectors claim Cornelius' stems are among the most comfortable in the world, and after having the pleasure of examining this piece, I'm inclined to agree. The carefully shaped slot will allow for the flavorful dispersion of smoke across the palate and the graceful downturn before the button promotes a comfortable, hands-free smoking posture.