Tom Eltang: Rusticated Devil Anse Tobacco Pipe

With decades of pipe-making experience, Tom Eltang has rightfully earned his reputation as one of the finest craftsmen working today. His work has influenced countless generations of pipe makers from around the world, and many young carvers make the pilgrimage to study at his workshop. Here, the Danish carver presents his masterful interpretation of the popular Devil Anse shape. While many artisans and workshops fashion the Devil Anse, no one does it quite like Eltang, as the Danish artisan imbues the shape with a certain softness that fits the form nicely.

The plump, Egg-like bowl's forward cant lends the composition an implied sense of momentum that's offset by the arrow-straight shank-and-stem arrangement out back. The oval shank and tapered vulcanite stem keep the pipe's profile sleek and minimalist, allowing the bowl to take center stage within the composition. The lightweight nature of the design ensures easy clenching, and the compact proportions on display, measuring in less than five inches in total length, make this piece perfect for on-the-go smoking. Eltang has dressed this piece in a dark stain and his signature grooved rustication that mimics the appearance of sandblasted growth rings, save for the rim, which is left smooth and stained a ruddy color for contrast.