Smooth Paneled Bent Pot (Jewel of Denmark) (B) Tobacco Pipe

Kai Nielsen, son of Viggo Nielsen, founder of the Bari pipe factory, entered the world of pipe making in his teen years when he began working part-time at his father's factory. At the age of 21, he became a full-time employee — but that was just the beginning. Today, after years of honing his craft, he's a respected artisan with an impressive portfolio and is known for his refined, classically Danish carving style.

This bent Pot is carved with compact proportions that bespeak Nielsen's Functionalist style. The bowl is charmingly petite, and paired to a short yet sinuous shank-and-stem arrangement. While the bowl is paneled, it's informed by softly curved ridgelines that lend the form an organic appeal. Like the bowl, the shank also combines crisply-chamfered paneling with curvy lines: The general form displays a broad, sweeping curve, yet the flanks are defined by pronounced ridgelines, which inform the heel of the bowl, as well. From an aerial perspective, the rim of the bowl takes on an intriguing, elongated hexagonal shape. This perspective also allows one to admire the dense pools of birdseye swirling around said rim. Tendrils of flame grain trail along the walls of the bowl, and the entirety of the stummel is dressed in a smooth, auburn finish. Because of its excellent grain and shaping, this piece has earned the Jewel Of Denmark grade at the "B" level, designating it as some of Nielsen's best work.

— Jenna Wasserman