Ben Wade Ambassador Deluxe Smooth Freehand Estate Briar Pipe, Danish Estates

Description

While Ben Wade was a historic British pipe brand, for a time during the 1970s, production of Ben Wade pipes was contracted out to one of Danish pipe-making’s superstars: Preben Holm. Though he would tragically pass away at the age of 42, Holm was one of the pioneering figures in the ‘Danish design’ movement in 20th century pipe-making, a movement that still dominates the high-grade pipe scene. By hand-shaping his pipes on a belt sander, Holm was able to make the most of the patterns of grain hidden within briar, creating spectacular works of pipe art that looked just as good as they smoked. Owing to Holm’s untimely passing, his pipes are even more highly sought after than they were during his lifetime.

I’m not sure I’ve ever seen an Ambassador model from Preben Holm before, whether through the Ben Wade make (seen here), or under his own name. But, if I was to choose an emissary for Danish freehand pipes such as Holm’s, I would feel plenty comfortable sending this one. After all, it has just about everything you’d want from one: a rugged basic form, a bare plateau rim, carefully sculpted straight grain patterns rising from its base to its rim, a beautiful golden contrast stain, and an extravagant, hand-cut stem. This one is also a sitter, which is always a bonus for larger freehand pipes, to my mind.

The condition is great. There’s some inner rim darkening and residual oxidation on the stem, but nothing major.

 

Details:

Length: 6.2″ / 157.4mm

Bowl Width: 0.88 / 22.35mm

Bowl Depth: 1.5″ / 38.1mm

Weight: 2.1oz / 60g