Ben Wade Refection 015, Smooth Freehand Briar Pipe, Danish Estates [SOLD OUT]

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 well as they smoked. Owing to Holm’s untimely passing, his pipes are even more highly sought after than they were during his lifetime.

Preben Holm’s produced a wide variety of freehand pipes, with many of them being quite distinct from the pipes we associate with this term today. This one is significantly more elegant than the average freehand. One might even say it’s a little conservative compared to most, but in the best of ways. The shape is somewhat like a bent Dublin, but it’s still very Danish; the bowl gently widens towards the top, giving a subtle floral appearance, while the vulcanite mount and beaded stem add some playfulness to the overall design. The grain on the pipe is also marvelous, with a near-360 degrees of expertly excavated straight grain running around it, along with a rim overflowing with bird’s-eyes. I imagine this was the reason the pipe was stained with a light, golden stain, rather than anything too dark.

The pipe is very big. I would go so far as to say it’s one of the longest pipes from the Preben Holm workshop I’ve encountered. But it’s actually not especially heavy, as most of the length is made up by the mount and stem. I suppose you could call it a highly artistic demiwarden.

The condition is excellent. There is some oxidation on the vulcanite mount where we’ve taken care not to efface the Ben Wade logo, but there isn’t much else to note as far as wear goes. There’s a hair of darkening on the innermost rim, but it isn’t noticeable unless you go sticking your nose into the chamber.

 

Details:

Length: 6.8″

Bowl Width: 25.4mm

Bowl Depth: 1.8″

Weight: 2.2oz / 64g