Preben Holm Hallmark Freehand Estate Briar Pipe, Danish Estates

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.

Though he always made freehands, Preben Holm made many different kinds of freehand pipes. Some were very rugged and rustic, while others, such as his Traditional or Designer series, were a little more subdued, and softer in form. Some pipes from Holm’s workshop were graded, while others were not. Grading seems to have been a practice reserved for the higher-end pipes produced there, such as the Nobel Prize, the Private Collection, and indeed the Hallmark pipe series, seen here. This, along with the extravagant nature of the designs in the Hallmark series, has led to speculation that the series was solely Holm’s own handiwork, as the Nobel Prize and Private Collection were. This one is a large, highly assertive, mixed finish piece, with a combination of smooth straight grain and ring grain sandblasting, along with an unconventional addition of briar plateau on the base, rather than the rim, of the pipe.

The condition is very good – and maybe even unsmoked. The pipe comes with its original box, sleeve, and booklet. The box has become a little worn over time.

Details:

Length: 7.5″ / 190.5mm

Bowl Width: 0.89 / 22.60mm

Bowl Depth: 1.42″ / 36.06mm

Weight: 3.1oz / 88g