Tonni Nielsen: Smooth Bent Dublin with Boxwood and Palm Wood (Viking) Tobacco Pipe

Though quite a full-bodied, smooth curve of a Dublin shape-wise, this Tonni Nielsen is still what I would call a lighter sort of beauty. That is of course palette-wise. Tonni went with a very pale finish for this one, a contrast that leaves the briar largely in its natural color, only the grain itself being left with any adsorbed stain. This is a sort of finish that works best with very fine-stranded, what you might call delicate flame grain — which sure enough is what you'll find here in plenty. As with a purely virgin finish (one with no stain used at all), the briar is expected to darken with time and enjoyment; the difference is that, with this type of finish, that gradual process will actually result in a stronger contrast, even while still maintaining the very fine definition of the grain.

- Eric N. Squires