Bonsai Pipes Sandblasted Rhodesian w/ Hawthorn Handmade Briar Pipe, New

Description

A lot has been going on in the Central European artisan scene recently. Over the last decade, a great number of solo (and, on occasion, duo) pipe makers have emerged and shown that the region is still able to hold its own against the likes of Denmark and the United States. Germany in particular continues to produce world-class carvers, which is less surprising when you realize that Germany has one of the most active and dedicated pipe communities in the world. Tobias Höse, the man behind Bonsai Pipes, is one of those carvers. Inspired by the likes of Dirk Heinemann (with whom he has also collaborated) and Kelvin Pohler and Thorsten Klemme of CO-Pipes, Höse took up pipe making in 2016 and, in the years since, has become one of Germany’s most recognizable artisans. In fact, his pipes have become so popular that, in 2022, he was invited by HU Tobacco to help create a blend in celebration of his pipe making prowess: Nebari, named after the surface root structure of the bonsai tree. As for why Höse chose “Bonsai Pipes” as a moniker, this can be traced to his other passion in life, horticulture. Höse cultivates bonsai trees for much the same reason he smokes and makes pipes: because they are slow, careful, and contemplative endeavors, providing a much-needed respite from the breakneck pace of the modern world.

This particular pipe from Tobias Höse has a story to it, which I’m always partial to. It’s a slightly sad story, though, at the same time, a little uplifting as a metaphor for life and loss. A few years ago, one of Höse’s own bonsai trees, a miniature hawthorn, unexpectedly died. Höse held onto the remains of the plant but, ultimately, he found a more productive use for them—and, indeed, a way of letting go. This broad, contrast sandblasted Rhodesian is thus accented with a ring carved from Höse’s fallen hawthorn, making it not only one of the very few Bonsai Pipes to include bonsai wood in the design, but something worth reflecting as well.

Details:

Length: 6.1″ / 154.9mm

Bowl Width: 0.74 / 18.79mm

Bowl Depth: 1.30″ / 33.02mm

Weight: 1.9oz / 54g