Smooth Bent Dublin (Snail) (M) Tobacco Pipe

Tom Eltang knew when he was a child that he wanted to be a pipe maker. At age 16, he apprenticed to Anne Julie, and his career in pipe making began. After working with Julie for three years, he moved onto the Pipe Dan workshop and later to Stanwell. Then Eltang set out on his own in 1980, and has crafted pipes under his name ever since. Based in a workshop in Copenhagen, Eltang produces nearly any shape one can think of and utilizes myriad finishes. Although Eltang's catalog of pipes is vast, they are all united by his classic Danish style.

This bent Dublin is stamped with Tom Eltang's esteemed Snail grade, which adorns his finest creations and is second only to his extremely rare "M" grade. Therefore, it's no surprise this pipe showcases absolutely stunning grain. The bowl catches one's eye first, as it highlights striking straight grain that alternates between dark walnut-hued streaks and tendrils of auburn tones, creating a truly mesmerizing pattern. Furthermore, the bowl's shaping enhances the grain, as the broad flanks arc to crisp, vertical ridges on the fore and aft, exquisitely framing the unbroken grain with their substantial surface area. Additionally, the bowl's design hints at the elliptical profile of the Opera shape, resulting in the oval rim that frames tightly-packed whorls of birdseye. Eltang's crisp line work is evident not only around the bowl, but throughout the composition, as it defines the gestural underside and the arch-shaped shank. Furthermore, the sharp ridges separate swaths of vertical grain from birdseye, giving the pipe a superbly clean look that perfectly captures the exceptional grain.