Ben Wade Tawny 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.

While ostensibly a freeand in the “Danish fancy” mold, there is something to this pipe that has it lean closer to what might be considered the “Danish Dublin.” With its distinctly wide and tall bowl that doesn’t entirely eschew the Anglo-French style, it’s a freehand, but it’s far from a “war club” in design (not that there’s anything wrong with that). There is, of course, plenty of bare plateaux erupting from the briar, as well as an ornate stem, which keeps the pipe interesting and distinctive, along with the beautiful straight grain lining its exterior walls.

The condition is very good. Some inner rim darkening and minor handling marks.

 

Details:

Length: 6″ / 152.4mm

Bowl Width: 1.00 / 25.40mm

Bowl Depth: 1.61″ / 40.89mm

Weight: 2.1oz / 62g