Age Bogelund 0 Smooth Brandy w/ Cumberland Estate Briar Pipe, Danish Estates

Age Bogelund—or to use the correct Danish spelling, Åge Bøgelund—was a fascinating figure in the Danish artisan scene. He seems to have got his start working at Denmark’s famous Bari Piber company, where he made high-grade pipes under its original owner and operator, Viggo Nielsen. It also seems that he was adept at pipe making that he would end up running Bari himself, after Nielsen stepped aside. In addition to his work with Bari, he also made similarly high-grade pipes for the German distributor Charles Fairmorn, as well as under his own name. Part of what makes Bøgelund so interesting, however, is that, aside from the brief biography just given, little else is known about him. Furthermore, despite being such a mysterious individual compared to so many of his peers, his pipes are very highly regarded and sought after. Ordinarily, that kind of demand is accompanied by extensive documentary research on the artisan and their works, though in Bøgelund’s case, those endeavors have largely come up empty. In any case, one could say that his legacy is not just that he made excellent pipes, but also that he proved that pipe makers don’t need to be celebrities to be recognized for their worth.

This particular pipe may well be the nicest Åge Bøgelund we’ve yet had as far as estates go (though it should be mentioned that we only see one every few months, at most). It is strongly in keeping with his style, as a notable talent of Bøgelund’s was the carving of highly organic forms, even compared to the other greats of Danish pipe making. That talent reaches its apogee here, in the form of a snaking, bent brandy rendition so perfectly rounded that it almost seems impossible that it was born from solid briar. The grain is similarly remarkable, and again attests to Bøgelund’s skills that he was able to coax it from the block without compromising on the bowl’s shape.

The condition is very good. Some wear to the inner rim and stem slightly over-buffed.

Details:

Length: 6.2″ / 157.4mm

Bowl Width: 0.82 / 20.82mm

Bowl Depth: 1.76″ / 44.70mm

Weight: 1.8oz / 52g