Tao: Smooth Bulldog with Horn Stem Tobacco Pipe

Jens "Tao" Nielsen's portfolio is dominated by stout, Nosewarmer renditions marked by compact profiles and substantial muscularity. Chief among these designs are the Danish carver's Bulldog interpretations, his robust shaping style catering well to the inherently stolid form and immediately recognized as Tao's work. Nielsen was a sailor for years, and his pipes reflect practicality, offering portable dimensions perfect for on-the-go smoking — exemplified by this particular Bulldog.

Tao's Bulldog renditions house hearty proportions through the shank and bowl, yet the shape's typical rigidity is handsomely softened by the bowl's more rounded shaping. Here, that contrast is evident in the domed rim that sits above the Bulldog's characteristic beadlines, their crispness matching the firm ridgelines comprising the shank and extending into the lower bowl like a ship's hull. While this version maintains Tao's muscular shaping style, the shank is a touch more slender than previous iterations we've received, and the steady taper from transition to button lends added prominence to the voluptuous bowl. Marked by stunning grain, this piece is dressed in a smooth finish and rich, auburn contrast stain, with the shank leading into a cumberland accent and a stem of genuine horn — calling to mind vintage pipes from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.