Sandblasted Pheasant Tobacco Pipe

The Pheasant is a Tonni Nielsen signature shape, but unlike most iconic designs from other makers its overall form tends to vary considerably from one iteration to the next. I'm not talking about proportions or subtle tweaks to the lines and stance; each new Pheasant we receive from Tonni is a completely different bird (please excuse the terrible pun. Or don't. Your choice). The only real unifying factor between them seems to be the handling of the shank, which is often rendered oval or lenticular in shape with a strong arcing gesture in profile. That universal cue is present in this rendition, but the bowl itself is much taller and more Egg-like than the other examples we've come across, which in turn actually works to emphasize the gesture of the transition and shank even further. The dark, low-profile sandblasted finish suits the lithesome form well, too, placing additional focus on the piece's clean, sweeping lines.

- Andrew Wike