Sandblasted Dublin with Mammoth Tobacco Pipe

Over the course of his decades-spanning career, Tom Eltang has had a seismic impact on the world of pipe making, his influence extending far beyond his home country of Denmark. Many young pipe makers make pilgrimages to Eltang's workshop to meet and learn from the Danish master, which speaks to his illustriousness, even after all these years. Of course, Eltang has never been one to rest on his laurels, and he continues to produce shapes at a dizzying rate with no signs of slowing or stopping. Like many other Scandinavian artists, Eltang takes inspiration from Danish Functionalism, a school of design that prioritizes function and its effect on aesthetic beauty. That sensibility is innate in Eltang's approach to pipe making, as the carver fashions pieces that are minimalist, superbly engineered, and beautiful to behold. This straight Dublin is a perfect testament to Eltang's style.

An elegant rendition of the shape, this piece possesses the form's characteristically flared bowl. The bowl's taper is a touch steeper than typically seen, accentuated in part by the gentle cheeking around the low-set transition, which draws visual attention to the discrepancy in proportions between the rim and heel. The bowl towers over the sleek, streamlined stretch of shank and stem that trails out back, keeping the visual weight of the composition anchored upfront. The lightweight nature of the pipe make it a delight to hold in hand, with plenty of surface area around the bowl for fingers to grip. The stummel wears a dark sandblasted finish that coaxes waves of rippling growth rings, save for the softly inflated rim, which is left smooth and stained a warm chestnut color for a touch of tactile contrast. A bright accent of mammoth bridges the shank and vulcanite saddle stem and offers further visual appeal.