Preben Holm Hallmark H-2 Smooth 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 an extraordinary work, putting Holm’s unparalleled abilities in freehand carving on full display. There is a real volcanic quality to it, with the briar looking less like solid wood and more like viscous magma streams flowing down a mountainside.

The condition is very good. Some inner rim darkening. The pipe comes with its original box, sleeve, and catalog, showing off even more of Holm’s portfolio. The box itself is a little time-worn.

 

Details:

Length: 7″ / 177.8mm

Bowl Width: 0.90 / 22.86mm

Bowl Depth: 1.64″ / 41.65mm

Weight: 3.1oz / 90g