Kai Nielsen: Smooth Bent Dublin (Jewel of Denmark) (C) Tobacco Pipe

The son of Viggo Nielsen, founder of the Bari pipe factory, Kai Nielsen spent his teenage years working in his father's shop for pocket money. This early start saw him committing to full-time work there when he turned 21, the wealth of experience aiding him in becoming a prolific artisan in his own right. His distinctive style is seen in this petite bent Dublin, measuring in at just a hair over four and a half inches long. The shank and stem are possessed of a compressed ovoid shaping through the base, with twin ridgelines at the flanks framing the top and bottom of each and pushing through into the bowl where they dissipate. The stem is a demurely bent half-saddle of jet-black acrylic that's separated from the stummel by a trim accent band. The bowl is supported by a lifted heel which pushes it further upward, accentuating its flare, one whose apex is marked by a pair of crisp beadlines that additionally denote the subtle taper to the rim. Reminiscent of a Rhodesian, this pipe wears a dark chestnut stain that reveals some handsome grain throughout, with flame wrapping the bowl and birdseye populating the top and underside of this C-grade Jewel of Denmark piece.