Preben Holm Crown Smooth Freehand Estate Briar Pipe, Danish Estates [SOLD]

Description

Though he would tragically pass away at the age of 42, Preben 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.

Sometimes a pipe just speaks for itself, and I would say that this Preben Holm is one of those pipes. But what the heck, I might as well say something. First, the shaping: it is a perfect encapsulation of the Danish “fancy” freehand style, having been carved out of a block of some of the finest plateau briar, with the form being oriented around that gnarly burl at both the rim and the shank end. It has also been cut in ways that somehow manage to make a dense material like briar look as malleable as putty, with ripples and ridges worked into the design that bear resemblance to ruffled silk. Second, the grain: it is undoubtedly a product of Holm’s philosophy of following the natural grain patterns of a briar block, with tight, straight grain dispersed uniformly around the bowl. Finally, the stain: I don’t think you could have asked for a better contrast stain than this one to let the briar underneath shine. Rarely do I see a pipe this impressive from Holm’s workshop without it having attained a Private Collection grade.

The condition is great. There’s a little residual oxidation on the stem, and some darkening on the innermost lip of the rim, but these are very minor imperfections.

 

Details:

Length: 6.5″ / 165.1mm

Bowl Width: 1.04 / 26.41mm

Bowl Depth: 1.85″ / 46.99mm

Weight: 2.9oz / 84g