Tom Eltang: Smooth Acorn Tobacco Pipe

Perhaps one of the most recognized names in pipe making, Tom Eltang is a prolific Danish artisan whose career spans over four decades and whose breadth of experience is nothing short of astonishing. Tom has always held a deep appreciation for the art of pipe making, as well as the art inherent in pipes themselves, recalling memories of gazing longingly at pictures that were displayed in the window of a local pipe store at the ripe age of six. At age eleven he carved his first pipe from a Pipe-Dan kit, though his first real experience with the pipe world was at age 16, when he became apprenticed to Anne-Julie. After this, he additionally worked for Pipe-Dan as a pipe repairer, then for Stanwell as a traveling carver, eventually starting his own workshop and carving pipes under his name.

Elang's Acorns take on a number of different outlines, though they're nearly all united by a defined sense of plumpness at the bowl and a hearty, supple look that boasts ample curvature. This example is no exception, showcasing a subtle sinuousness through its shank and stem combination that nicely balances the presence of the bowl and offers a comfortable smoking posture. The shank itself ebbs out of a wide transition, tapering gently as it curls upward to meet a sleek, stylized saddle stem of jet-black vulcanite, this stem's base fashioned to include a firm, broad expansion ring: a subtle detail that draws the eye toward the junction. Balanced at the fore, the bowl stands atop a sweeping heel and grows robust, flaring walls that expand out toward a curvaceous, high-set waistline, one whose ample rounding provides an extremely comfortable feel in hand. This curvature is coupled with an impressive, hearty thickness, insulating a capacious chamber that's presided over by a craggy, plateau-crowned rim whose edges are sloped to facilitate the easy loading of tobacco. Dressed in one of Eltang's signature contrast stains, this piece displays some beautiful grain, with flame and straight grain wrapping around the circumference of the bowl, while the underside is covered in a field of swirling birdseye.