Design Berlin Handmade Bent Apple Estate Briar Pipe, German Estates

Description

Design Berlin was, as the name suggests, a German pipe-making company – and was in fact the number two best-selling German pipe make after Vauen, before production was discontinued in 2019. Founded in 1948 as Pfeifenstudio Hartmann by Hubert Hartmann, the company adopted the name Design Berlin and the lowercase ‘db’ logo in 1975 as part of a modernization push.

This particular Design Berlin pipe is very distinct from the others I’ve handled from the German make. This is for a few reasons. For one, the pipe is unfiltered, which is even less common for Design Berlin than for its compatriot Vauen. But the most distinctive aspect is its exterior. There’s certainly a fair bit of Danish influence in the chubby apple shaping of its basic form, but the finish is partially rusticated in the form of a spot carving of a tobacco leaf motif.

The condition is good. Some rim darkening and handling marks.

 

Details:

Length: 5.5″ / 139.7mm

Bowl Width: 0.85 / 21.59mm

Bowl Depth: 1.56″ / 39.62mm

Weight: 2.7oz / 78g