Kai Nielsen: Smooth Apple (VVVV) Tobacco Pipe

A prolific Danish artisan, Kai Nielsen spent his teenage years working for his father, Viggo Nielsen, at the Bari pipe factory which Viggo founded. His early start in the pipe-making world saw him working there full-time when he turned 21, his wealth of experience helping him toward now making handmade pipes of his own. This straight Apple is a remarkably compact piece, measuring just over five inches in length and keeping its weight quite light. Despite this lightness, there's still plenty of substance to appreciate in the bowl, with the ample contours of the Apple shape well represented here in the form of plump walls and a low-set waistline. A slight taper to the rim keeps the outline looking soft, and a wide transition leads the eye to a comparatively lengthy stretch of shank that tapers gently to meet a black acrylic stem at a junction marked by a light accent band. This pipe displays some lovely grain, all beneath a vibrant auburn stain, including flame grain that wraps around the flanks and birdseye at the top and underside.