Smooth Asymmetric Elephant's Foot with Horn (Snail) (M) Tobacco Pipe

When Tom Eltang fashions the Elephant's Foot shape, there's a strong likelihood that it's going to receive his esteemed Snail grade. The form itself naturally caters to immaculate grain orientation — when done well — and the Danish master has carved the design countless times, perfecting it over his decades of pipe making. Once again, Tom delivers with this beautiful Snail-grade Elephant's Foot, but this particular one is a notch above the rest, bearing Eltang's coveted "M" stamp — his highest grade altogether, denoting truly superlative masterpieces.

Originally created by Bo Nordh, the Elephant's Foot shape is defined by a tapered bowl, with slightly bulging aft and fore sections, while the center is wrapped by a crisp facet. Usually that facet descends the flanks symmetrically, but this Eltang rendition is unique — the flanks asymmetrical, as the left panel originates at a crisp ridgeline along the rim, while the right one slopes more gradually and is more narrow. Grain orientation on this shape is paramount to execute the form well, and Tom's done that here, allowing the briar's natural patterns to inform the aforementioned asymmetry: The flanking panels feature parallel cross grain, while the curved fore and aft portions of the bowl possess swirling seas of birdseye. Such impressive grain commands most of the attention here; however, the sinuous shank and stem complement the bowl wonderfully. The shank is extended with a stretch of horn, flared in traditional Danish style at the end to balance out the expansion disc at the base of the stem.