Former: Smooth Billiard Tobacco Pipe

Hans "Former" Nielsen has been making pipes for over 60 years, having started his career by learning from the likes of Sven Knudsen and Poul Rasmussen. He eventually moved on to W.Ø. Larsen, where he trained and oversaw the carvers from that workshop, with many of those carvers going on to be Danish pipe-making powerhouses in their own right. For the past 50 years Former has been making pipes under his own name, offering high quality pieces that are always a beauty to behold, focusing on crafting traditional shapes in the soft aesthetic of the Danish school of design.

This straight Billiard features a softly rounded bowl paired to a low-slung shank-and-stem combination that makes for a sleek, streamlined profile. Coming out of the neat transition, which presents a fine bit of cheeking, the shank stretches into the saddle stem of jet-black vulcanite, the color of the stem perfectly complementing the bright, warm, orange finish of the stummel. The smooth finish accentuates the exquisite, tight bands of flame grain as they flow from the heel to the rim, both of which display lush fields of birdseye. The genius of Former's designs have to do with their precise execution and refined traits, offering well-balanced proportions and a lightweight presence in hand. The svelte lines that extend through the shank to the stem bolster the firm, upright bowl, before terminating in a fine bit. Supple and classy, this gorgeous piece is replete with graceful charm and waits for a collector interested in the luxurious smoking qualities of a piece from one of pipe making's most legendary artisans.