Dirk Heinemann: Sandblasted Tuban Tobacco Pipe

With a background in woodworking and an affinity for pipe smoking, it was only natural Dirk Heinemann would then develop a passion for pipe making. After studying product design for five years at the University of Hannover, undertaking a three-year carpentry apprenticeship, and working as a furniture designer, Heinemann gained a wealth of knowledge that would serve him well as he started his pipe-making career. Heinemann cites the Ivarssons and J. Alan pipes as notable influences in his work, with his style defined by experimentation while still focusing on elegance and functionality.

A signature shape of the German artisan, the Tuban is characterized by a cylindrical figure and a sweeping, Horn-like gesture, with this example here illustrating Heinemann's simple yet elegant approach to design. Measuring just over three and a half inches in length, this piece is exceptionally compact and lightweight, making for a pipe that's both visually striking and practical. Unlike the Horn, this Tuban keeps a consistent width from the rim to the shank end, with the latter adorned with a light, briar ring with craggy plateau as it meets an abbreviated saddle stem of jet-black vulcanite. Contrasting the shank end's lighter complexion is the stummel's dark sandblast, which reveals waves of horizontal growth rings across both flanks.