Tom Eltang: Rusticated Squat Poker Tobacco Pipe

Tom Eltang made his first pipe at the age of 11 in the late 1960s, and at the age of 16, apprenticed to renowned Danish carver Anne Julie. Now, he is one of the most talented and lauded carvers in the world of pipes, turning out high-grade pieces with unnerving precision and mentoring younger carvers in the craft. This Poker is one of his signature shapes, a squat variation on his taller Poker design, here offering a broader bowl and lower profile for a stouter aesthetic.

Immediately recognizable as an Eltang, it's dressed in one of his signature undulating rustications and a dark stain, with the inflated rim and shank end left smooth and lighter to highlight the briar's grain patterns. Arrow-straight, the shank stretches at an upward angle to meet a jet-black vulcanite saddle stem Tom has precisely cut and filed by hand for optimal comfort. An easily clenchable pipe of Nosewarmer length, this pipe will be equally at home between the teeth, sitting sturdily on your desk, or providing a stimulating presence in hand. Lightweight and well-executed inside and out, this pipe shows once again how a top-notch clencher should be made.