Bonsai Pipes Smooth Rhodesian w/ Stabilized Platan 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.

Like every good pipe maker, Tobias Höse knows when to leave a stummel smooth, and when to sandblast it. Like every great pipe maker, Höse’s bar for smooth briar is exceptionally high. Thus, very few of his pipes escape the blasting cabinet. On the rare occasions that they do, they are a sight to behold. This nosewarmer-length Rhodesian shows tremendously consistent straight grain, running a full 360 degrees around its bowl. In fact, the only thing more captivating than the briar is Höse’s unique choice of accent, with its crisscrossing, mineral-like striations. Rather than mammoth or mother of pearl, the ferrule in question is in fact fashioned from the stabilized burl of the platan tree.

Details:

Length: 4.5″ / 114.3mm

Bowl Width: 0.76 / 19.30mm

Bowl Depth: 1.20″ / 30.48mm

Weight: 1.4oz / 40g