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

A second-generation Danish pipe maker, Kai Nielsen is the son of Viggo Nielsen, who helped found the marque Bari in 1948. Kai Nielsen often spent time around the workshop in his childhood, and began working there at 21 years of age. Over 50 years later, Kai Nielsen is still making pipes. Nielsen makes traditional shapes with a classic Danish style, evidenced by many of his pipe's gestural profiles and supple bowls. Few pipe makers have more experience than Kai Nielsen, and his lifelong skill is evident in each pipe he crafts.

The supple bowl of a Brandy and geometric panels do not seem like an obvious pair, but Kai Nielsen combines them to great effect here. Four ridgelines flow from the shank face to the rim, framing the profile and showcasing gorgeous sweeping line work on the flanks. Due to these ridgelines, the bowl takes on a diamond shape when viewed from overhead, while retaining the Brandy bowl's signature taper. Furthermore, the four facets brilliantly frame the grain, alternating between swirling birdseye and sweeping cross grain for a mesmerizing presentation. One seldom sees a pipe that combines disparate shaping elements to such great effect, and is sure to be a unique centerpiece in any collection.