Peter Heding: Smooth Nautilus Tobacco Pipe

Inspired by nature and Danish greats like Tom Eltang, Anne Julie, Teddy Knudsen, and Kent Rasmussen, Peter Heding approaches the craft of pipe making as creating functional art. A onetime research biologist with a Ph.D., he uses his inquisitive mind to find the beautiful grain and shape hiding in each block of briar, and has outdone himself with this superlative Nautilus rendition.

Straying into Nosewarmer length, this charming shape fits easily in hand, and seems to want to never leave, with bespoke elements like the negative space above the shank inviting my phalanges to drape over top while enjoying long conversations about the great mysteries of life — like how a paneled pipe can be so comfortable to hold. The reason, of course, is because Heding knows his way around a piece of briar, and manages here not only perfectly incorporate the radiating grain in a structural aesthetic, but make it fit my hand as if we were best friends. I think I discovered part of the secret, at least, in that the panels on the flanks are concave while the top and bottom feature a supple inflation, allowing the pipe to nestle into my palm while accommodating the swell of my thumb with a mysterious magnetism. I honestly didn't mean to go on about it, but it's just impossible to ignore.

The visual beauty of this piece is just as hard to dismiss from my mind, as a dark ruby stain and glossy smooth finish are like a bride's veil, hinting at the soul-shattering beauty hidden within, only revealing their treasured secret when my face draws close. Now, I'm not saying I would marry this pipe, but I'm not ashamed to admit I'm in love, and will be broken-hearted when it's quickly claimed by some lucky collector. Fit and finish throughout are superb, with a thin brass ring on the shank face encircling a standard mortise-and-tenon arrangement, and a lithe downturn of vulcanite racing to a hand-shaped and funneled lip button. This one will haunt my dreams, and I can say no more.