Manduela: Smooth Bent Bulldog with Bone Tobacco Pipe

Born in Germany in 1967, Manduela Riger-Kusk has lived in Denmark since she was four, and her pipe making style reflects Danish sensibilities readily, especially as those sensibilities inform firm, clean-lined facet work: one of Manduela's most recognizable shaping elements. Here, her crisp line work defines the angular build of a gently sinuous bent Bulldog, the shape a signature rendition from the artisan that balances gracile curvature with agile muscularity. The transition is wide, and it gives way to a subtly curling shank that tapers very gently as it reaches toward the slender saddle stem of vibrant blue vulcanite, the arrangement lined by a quartet of ridges that flow through the flanks, underside, and top. At the flanks, the ridges flow through the stem to the button while continuing through at the fore to surround part of the bowl's lower area, lifting into a small arc that sees both ridges meet at the heel. The panels these ridges create aren't simply flattened planes of briar, and instead feature a subtle rounding that offers a slightly softer feel in hand while maintaining a great deal of sharpness in profile. This softness in hand is best showcased below the bowl, where the lower panels of the shank taper together to form the heel, as the broader areas of paneling defined by the ridges' arcs are contoured for comfort. Up front the bowl stands proudly, its walls taking on a subdued flare from the heel to a high-set waist marked by twin beadlines, additionally denoting the Bulldog's iconic taper to the rim. Though it's not a small pipe, this piece is an extremely well-balanced one, with an even distribution of visual weight and a remarkably light weight overall that keeps it handy, portable, and easy to clench whenever necessary. Dressed in a light, smooth, natural finish, the stummel here showcases incredible grain with dense streaks of flame and straight grain surrounding the bowl, the display elevated by undulating bands of visual growth rings that stand out beneath. What's more, the already eye-catching stem features a broad, pale accent of bone at the base, adding rich contrast to this pipe's palette and ensuring every bit of this pipe is appreciated.