Smooth Bulldog Tobacco Pipe

Once supervisor of the prestigious W.Ø. Larsen workshop and manager of Bentley pipes in Switzerland and Germany, Hans "Former" Nielsen has been crafting pipes for over sixty years, including his own handmade work still available today. His pipes are among the most collected and renowned in the world, and he's as much a capable machinist and craftsman as he is a discerning artist: His pipes are the pinnacle of engineering and quality, and his shaping style adheres to artisan renditions of timeless designs.

Though a timeless shape, the Bulldog is a rarer design from Former compared to his myriad Billiard and Apple renditions. Like any of his pieces, however, this example exudes a classic appeal and a level of precision only achievable in the hands of a capable and experienced artisan. As the design demands, this piece pairs a beadline-wrapped bowl to a diamond shank, and Former has maintained muscular proportions throughout the stummel to create a stout and sturdy rendition. The shank's lower panels extend into the heel and lower bowl, but much of the bowl remains curved and rounded, echoing the look of Former's iconic Apple shapes only with more defined tapers above and below the Bulldog beadlines. With an extended shank length and abbreviated saddle stem, the profile resembles that of a Lovat and creates hints of sleekness juxtaposed against the muscular proportions. A rich, chestnut stain and smooth finish solidify the pipe's traditional appeal and bring out the briar's natural grain, while the bowl's forward cant continues the stout, yet dynamic, posture of the composition.