Ben Wade Majestic Smooth Dublin 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.

A quick glance at Preben Holm pipes, including the pipes made for Ben Wade by Preben Holm, may give the sense that he was a one trick pony, purely creating “freehand” style pipes of various stripes. But when you put together the thousands of pipes produced in his workshop, you’ll notice that, in fact, he and his apprentices were extremely versatile. All of the pipes were carved freehand, but if you search hard enough, you’ll find Preben Holm pipes that look like classic English Rhodesians, curvaceous Danish eggs, and even rusticated, Italian-style billiards. One of my favorite series of pipes made by Preben Holm, which were made for Ben Wade, was the Majestic. These pipes are as excellent as the name suggests, but they’re also typically more “conservative” in style – at least, by Holm’s standards. This one, for example, is a beautiful bent Dublin, with only its slightly more organic shaping, superior straight grain, and asymmetrical saddle stem pulling it away from the early briar standard. On the other hand, sometimes its the little differences that matter the most.

The condition is great. Some slight inner rim darkening and minor handling marks.

 

Details:

Length: 5.5″ / 139.7mm

Bowl Width: 1.02 / 25.90mm

Bowl Depth: 1.72″ / 43.68mm

Weight: 1.7oz / 50g