Smooth Long Shank Acorn (Fish) (0120) Tobacco Pipe

Within the history of pipe making, the Ivarsson family are considered royalty: Sixten is widely considered the originator of the artisan pipe making movement, passed down to his son, Lars, and now continued by his granddaughter, Nanna, respected as one of the world's preeminent carvers. Her work not only represents superlative engineering and technical proficiency but also personifies the artistic side of pipes — being compositions that meet aesthetic standards of line, curve, proportion, and space. While every pipe she makes is a lesson in perfection, her "Fish" stamp denotes particularly choice pieces, and, as expected, such Fish-stamped pipes are few and far between.

This long-shanked Acorn is only the second Fish grade piece we've received from Nanna, and like the former, it excels in every aspect — from form to finish. The long stretch of shank features a teardrop cross section, and Ivarsson continued the resulting ridgeline into the bowl, sweeping up the left flank to terminate at the rim. Such a ridge adds accenting firmness to the otherwise supple curves of the shape, and as a design cue, it's a characteristic theme among the work of Danish artisans. The bowl itself is a traditional Acorn, its widest portion set closet to the rim. As the shank tapers toward the transition, it lends the bowl a poised posture, accentuated by the defined transition. Stunning grain follows the contours and lines of the shape as if this block of briar was made to be this Acorn, and each striation and whorl is highlighted in a natural stain for vivid definition.