Former: Smooth Bent Apple with Silver Tobacco Pipe

Though Hans "Former Nielsen doesn't produce bent Apples as frequently as his signature straight renditions, they still showcase and maintain the Danish artisan's masterful line work and expert engineering. On this particular piece, the thick shank gradually guides the eye to the plump bowl up front, with cheeking prominently displayed around the transition. The bowl exhibits an active, gestural stance in profile, gently urging forward from out of the curling transition. A broad band of sterling silver graces the shank end, handsomely complementing the piece's gorgeous shaping while the half-saddle stem acts as a sinuous flourishing touch, effectively completing the design's parabolic arc. The grain orientation is also quite stunning, Former having read this briar block perfectly. Seas of swirling birdseye dance around the base and the chamfered rim, while streaks of vertical grain wrap around the chubby bowl, all highlighted by one of Nielsen's vibrant contrast stains.