Tom Eltang: Natural Smooth Horn with Mammoth (Snail) Tobacco Pipe

Tom Eltang's Snail grade denotes pipes of exceptional quality, both in terms of shaping and grain, and represents some of the best pipes the Danish carver has to offer, which is really saying something. Eltang is without a doubt a master artisan, and his reputation can attest to this fact, so much so that pipe makers from all over the world travel to Eltang's workshop to learn the craft under his supervision. To many, his pipes are the high-water mark from which all other pipes are judged, and it's hard to argue with that estimation when considering a piece like this Snail-grade Horn.

This Horn is a stocky interpretation of the classic form, though it maintains the shape's characteristic taper, which begins at the broad, softly inflated rim and continues though the shank. Said shank is capped by an accent of pearly white mammoth, which acts as a natural bridge between the stummel's warm complexion and the saddle stem's jet-black hues. The saddle stem's wide base mirrors the look of the rim, fostering a sense of visual symmetry on either end of the composition, with the stem's base marking the start of its own taper, just as the rim does. A warm smooth finish completes the ensemble and highlights tight flame grain across the bowl's flanks and stunning birdseye around the rim.