Kai Nielsen: Smooth Billiard (Jewel of Denmark) (B) Tobacco Pipe

The son of Viggo Nielsen, founder of the Bari pipe factory, Kai Nielsen got his start in carving at an early age, working in the factory as a teenager for pocket money before switching to full-time work there at 21. Now he enjoys an excellent reputation as an artisan in his own right, and has acted as mentor to others, including Kurt Balleby. This Billiard from the Danish artisan is a lovely piece, and has earned the Jewel of Denmark designation at a "B" grading. The bowl here is slender with a rounded heel and subtle taper to the rim, with the easy lines and supple contours that define Danish design quite evident. A low-set transition accentuates the bowl's svelte design, while the streamlined stretch of shank and stem stretch out in a nicely proportioned balance. It's dressed in a warm auburn stain, amplifying the briar's natural grain orientation, and its pairing to a cumberland-hued acrylic stem unifies the palette.