Former: Smooth Horn with Ivorite Tobacco Pipe

Among the seemingly simplest of shapes, the Horn is a difficult form to render, relying on proportion and meticulous line work for a successful interpretation. Perhaps you've seen failed renditions in which blocky and angular lines interfere with the natural curvature, but you won't see that here, not from the likes of Hans "Former" Nielsen.

Former has gathered his 60+ years of experience to craft a Horn of impeccable precision, its smooth flow uninterrupted from any angle the pipe is viewed. From the triple expansions of the Ivorite accent to the gently inflated rim, parabolas of geometric exactness extend throughout the form, elevated by the tight, natural grain of a remarkably unblemished example of briar at its best. That grain follows the curve of the pipe at near right angles along the flanks while proffering long palettes of birdseye located along the top curve and the undercurve.

Rather than angle the tobacco chamber forward to accommodate such meticulous flow of line, Former has aligned it in a more upright and traditional orientation while never compromising the sinuous curve and expansion that defines its curling character, thus improving, in my personal opinion, the potential performance of the pipe. While some may enjoy the extreme forward cants of chambers in some Horn shapes, I've found that they smoke better, for me, with a more upright orientation, and this piece is brilliantly conceived in that regard. It is elegance personified, breathtakingly executed, and certainly capable of ascending to the top of anyone's smoking rotation.