Ken Dederichs: Sandblasted Billiard Tobacco Pipe

With a style that often exhibits supple curvature and elegant sinuosity, Ken Dederichs doesn't often fashion straight pipes, making this Billiard a rarer piece from the Germany-based artisan — both regarding its posture as well as its traditionalism. Many of Dederichs' renditions of classic shapes usually employ subtle, non-standard shaping cues, but this Billiard is steeped in classic styling, catering to Danish renderings of the form. Classic Danish pipes feature the same shapes as classic French and English pipes but often employ softer lines and curves. In the case of the classic Billiard, then, most Danish renditions will reveal a more rounded style of bowl, and that design style is evident in this piece by Dederichs. The curved flanks of said bowl provide a delightfully natural in-hand feel — the bowl's height perfect for wrapped fingers — and the crisp intersections of vertical and horizontal grain brought out by the sandblasted finish offer just the right amount of texture. Such a low-profile sandblast is also a common choice within Danish pipe making, and in line with that style, Dederichs has finished the rim smooth and in a lighter stain for handsome contrast against the rest of the stummel. Instead of inflated, though, the rim is neat and flat in profile, with a slight chamfer toward the chamber, adding a sense of crispness that aligns with the rigid diminution of the handmade, vulcanite saddle stem.