Partially Sandblasted Sleeping Blowfish (5523) Tobacco Pipe

No other family has done more for artisan pipe making than the Ivarssons of Denmark. Sixten Ivarsson is widely regarded as the progenitor of artisan pipe making as a whole, his "shape first, drill second" approach allowing for the individual, freehand shaping and artistic creativity that defines artisan pipes. His son, Lars, followed in Sixten's footsteps, crafting some of the finest pipes of his time and elevating the reputation of handmade pipes as artistic compositions. Nanna, Lars's daughter, now furthers the Ivarsson legacy, and many praise her as among the best artisan pipe makers in the world.

While some pipe makers enjoy carving a diverse selection of shapes, Nanna prioritizes a select few designs, exploring creative variations and always seeking that ever-elusive combination of perfect briar and flawless shaping, in search of a certain shape's archetypal ideal. One of her most prolific shapes is the Blowfish — as Nanna and the Ivarssons have called it — a design endemic to Danish artisan pipe making and one pioneered by her father. The shape is most universally defined by a teardrop shank, creating a ridgeline along one flank that often extends through the bowl, and Nanna's renditions range from long-shanked versions to more compact, curling forms. The Sleeping Blowfish is one of her signature Fish renditions, and it features a shank that curls forward and connects to the bowl's aft.

This is one such Sleeping Blowfish version, and as defined by the shape, the stummel is practically devoid of transition as the broad, splayed shank seemingly folds onto the aft side of the bowl. The left flank reveals the Blowfish design's characteristic ridgeline, flowing from the rim and into the bottom edge of the shank. Unique to this particular version, though, is Ivarsson's choice of finish: A crisp sandblast adorns the majority of the stummel, highlighting stunning growth rings throughout, but Ivarsson accented the rim and other edges with trim, smooth-polished panels. Not only do these smooth sections add handsome contrast against the darker stain and rugged texture of the sandblast, but they also help to define the shape's various intricacies — in essence making certain lines bolder yet without disrupting the lines' width. It makes for a remarkable composition, adding yet another artistic interpretation of one of Ivarsson's most revered shapes.