Ben Wade (Preben Holm) Danish Hand Model 200 XL Freehand Oom Paul Estate Briar Pipe, Danish Estates

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. Even Herman Lane, owner of Lane Ltd. and Charatan during the 1960s and 1970s, was so impressed by Holm that he contracted the Danish artisan to carve pipes under his newly-acquired Ben Wade make, despite simultaneously stewarding the meteoric rise of English-made freehand pipes through Charatan). Today, Holm’s pipes remain highly sought-after, perhaps even more so than when he was still alive, to the extent that even the historic—and, originally, very English—Ben Wade name is difficult to separate from Holm’s work.

If I remember right, the Hand Model was originally a Ben Wade line made by Charatan, after Herman Lane had purchased the latter to serve as a Charatan sub-brand. The Danish Hand Model, on the other hand, was something else entirely. It was, rather, one of the many lines made for Lane by Preben Holm, with each representing Holm’s distinctly Danish approach to pipe design.

In the case of this one, it’s a tall, large, and very Danish interpretation of the Anglo-French Oom Paul. As one expect from Holm’s workshop, it’s a finely grained specimen, with tight vertical striations lining the bowl; it has an additional, vulcanite military mount into which the pipe’s fancy mouthpiece fits; and it’s also, remarkably, a sitter, with an almost balletic quality, given that the shank itself does not quite touch the surface the bowl is set on.

The condition is very good. Some darkening and finish fading on the rim, and some minor handling marks.

Details:

Length: 6.9″ / 175.2mm

Bowl Width: 1.02 / 25.90mm

Bowl Depth: 1.93″ / 49.02mm

Weight: 2.2oz / 64g