Partially Sandblasted Horn with Ivorite Tobacco Pipe

The Horn is a classic Danish design, marked by a virtually non-existent transition as the shank flares seamlessly into the bowl. Even with this constant, though, renditions can differ vastly from one to the next — the degree of forward cant, the amount of taper, opting to also flare the shank end to echo the bowl, etc. In this particular one from Hans "Former" Nielsen, the Danish artisan has opted for a dramatically forward-urging form, the shank remaining straight as the bowl sprouts ahead, the stem lent just the slightest degree of downward turn.

It's similar to one we received from Nielsen back in 2014: both imbued with a similar sense of stoutness about the shank and accented with the same, uniquely carved saddle stem. Here, Former has used ivorite attached to the base of the mouthpiece. He's a carver prone to playing with accents, often shaping the bowl traditionally and letting his creativity flourish in his shaping of accenting materials. In this case, the ivorite has been carved into three concentric rings, tapering subtly in profile to the vulcanite, and breaking up the smooth-lined silhouette for a striking, industrial aesthetic. Echoing the rounded, coiled motif, the rim has been softly inflated and stained a deep, Bruyere hue to contrast the dark, low-profile sandblast.