4th Generation (by Nording) Frihand (A) Smooth Freehand with Bronze (Estate)

About this pipe:

4th Generation—or, rather, Erik Stokkebye 4th Generation, to use its full name—is a brand of pipes first conceived by Denmark’s Erik Stokkebye (as one would expect), who holds the accomplishment of representing four generations of the Stokkebye family’s involvement in pipes and tobaccos (as one would also expect). Erik Stokkebye himself does not make pipes; rather, he contracts this task to some of the world’s great pipe makers, most of which are also Danish, to create them. Those familiar with the history of Danish pipes may already be familiar with the pipes made by Jorgen Larsen for Peter Stokkebye (Erik’s father) around the 1970s. Several decades later, Erik would become the second generation in the Stokkebye family to do the same.

Both Peter Stokkebye and Erik Stokkebye have had world class pipe makers create Stokkebye-brand pipes. Though he has been at the helm of the company for far less time than his father, Erik’s roster of collaborators thus far has been significantly longer, including Tom Eltang, Peder Jeppesen, Manduela Riger-Kusk, Bruno Nuttens, Asami Kikuchi of Tsuge Ikebana and the Ascorti family. But there is one pipe maker who both Erik and—albeit briefly—Peter have commissioned pipes from: Erik Nørding. Made for 4th Generation by Erik Nording, the Frihand series was comprised of pipes wholly in the tradition of the Danish Fancy freehand, a tradition that Nørding himself played a significant role in creating and popularizing. I’m not sure whether this particular Frihand comes from the Red Grain or Natural subseries (visually they were very close), though whichever of the two it belonged to, it attained the highest grade within its respective bracket, the “A.”

The condition is very good. Some inner rim darkening and a couple of small scratches on the bowl.

Details:

Length: 5.64″ / 143.2mm

Chamber Width: 0.75″ / 19.05mm

Chamber Depth: 1.80″ / 45.72mm

Bowl Height: 2.25″ / 57.15mm

Weight: 2.5oz / 70g