Smooth Apple with Silver Tobacco Pipe

Before Ulf Noltensmeier and Per Hansen of the venerable S. Bang workshop retired, they trained Tom Eltang and his apprentice, Johannes Rasmussen, in the crafting and application of the scalloped silver accents that have become synonymous with S. Bang pipes. Per and Ulf gave their blessing for Tom and Johannes to carry the style forward, allowing future pipe smokers to appreciate the creative, stylized use of the precious metal. It's seen here gracing the shank-end of this affably rounded and pleasantly plump Apple from Suhr, seamlessly combining the soft lines and supple curves of the Danish school with muscular proportions. It offers a robust, slightly canted bowl that's hearty in hand and marked by pronounced cheeking around the transition, with the comparatively slender shank-and-stem combination trailing out back. It's a stellar shape to showcase the gorgeous array of flame grain that envelopes the bowl's beefy flanks, each tendril made even more vivid thanks to the warm contrast stain Rasmussen applied. It's a stunning homage to the esteemed S. Bang workshop, rendered by a young artisan who is talented far beyond his age and is capable of producing impressive pieces such as this.