Nanna Ivarsson: Partially Sandblasted Horn (4321) Tobacco Pipe

The cup-and-ball motif isn't exactly a pipe shape. Much like paneling, it can be utilized across myriad designs; however, its aesthetic immediately hearkens to the work of Lars Ivarsson, the son of Sixten Ivarsson — regarded as the grandfather of artisan pipe making — and the father of Nanna Ivarsson, who continues the family's unparalleled legacy. The motif is fairly self-explanatory, though this Horn rendition from Nanna somewhat reinterprets the style's characteristic aspects, making the definition less obvious from observing this pipe alone. Across Lars' portfolio, the cup-and-ball motif is much clearer: Typically featured on designs with bulbous, rounded bowls, the aesthetic is characterized by a crisply raised ridgeline about the transition, creating the illusion that the shank and bowl are separate elements, with the former cupping the latter. Lars further accentuated the aesthetic by often finishing the bowl and shank in different stains and textures. The shaping cue became a signature of his during his career, and artisan carvers since have honored him with their own renditions, with Nanna, his daughter, offering an homage through this Horn.

While Nanna's aesthetic style shares similar attributes to those of her father and grandfather, the cup-and-ball motif isn't one readily represented across her portfolio. And even this particular use of the style is a departure from the norm and a testament to her creative individuality as an artisan. Instead of a rounded Apple or Acorn, as many of Lars' versions features, this piece is a consistently arcing and graceful Horn, and though the transition from shank to bowl is demarcated by a hard line, the silhouette still flares and curves consistently from shank end to rim. Were it not for this demarcation, the transition would be seamless, the lines between bowl and shank completely fluid. Moreover, instead of carving a slender ridge — as is usually the case on cup-and-ball designs — Nanna here has utilized a comparatively broader, raised panel as the demarcation point, complementing the overall shape's tubular profile.

The dual finish, though, stays true to convention; however, while the bowl is most often finished smooth in such designs, Nanna has sandblasted it and instead smooth-finished the shank and rim for even more contrast. Through these finishes, the visible grain speaks to Nanna's shaping choice: Smooth and sandblasted cross grain fans and curves along the flanks to mirror the Horn's parabolic arch, and the underside features a river of plateau running down the center from rim to heel. Moreover, the ring of briar at the shank end matches the transition's demarcating panel but with a sandblasted finish to add yet more tactile contrast. Such a stylistic narrative creates a back-and-forth progression of sandblast, smooth, sandblast, and back to smooth across the composition, growing and crescendoing in tandem with the pipe's forward-flaring posture.

The beauty of this pipe extends from its overall silhouette to its minute details. The elegant curvature of the Horn demands attention, and the diverse textures and chess board-like complexion invite further exploration. The rim, even, isn't completely flat but, rather, is slightly concave — in a sense balancing out the transition's outward protrusion. Lastly, the hand-cut vulcanite stem bends downward at the slightest degree to poise and balance the arching stummel, and its domed base offers a conclusion to the shank's gradually tapering cross section. As if all these aspects weren't enough, Nanna went so far as to stain the shank face where the stem meets the briar: a completely unnecessary embellishment but one that exemplifies her commitment to leaving nothing out of place and ensuring that her pipes lack nothing in the way of artistry and craftsmanship.