Christian Ruetz Smooth Asymmetric Dublin w/ Masur Birch Handmade Briar Pipe, New

Description

Tyrol’s Christian Ruetz may well be the most exciting and acclaimed pipe maker to have come out of Austria since Peter Matzhold. A committed pipe smoker since his youth, Ruetz crafted his first pipe in 2014, using a carving knife gifted by his father-in-law and wood from a cherry tree. Ruetz was, from then on, hooked and soon moved onto briar, though he has maintained a relatively low-tech approach to pipe construction throughout in his career. Though Ruetz’s experiments with briar began a decade ago, in recent years his exercises in style have coalesced into an instantly recognizable identity, which has coincided with a no less than meteoric rise within the international pipe community and industry. As is something of a tradition for today’s artisans, Ruetz has spent time in the workshop of Denmark’s Tom Eltang further refining his techniques, yet it must also be stressed that Ruetz’s design philosophy is distinct from—and, to an extent, contrary to—that of much of modern Scandinavian pipe making. Against the functionalism of Eltang et al., Ruetz is far more of a Romantik. In his own words, his style is encompassed by three words: Natur, Rauheit, and Imperfektion, (roughly, “nature,” “ruggedness/rawness,” and “imperfection”). This style and underlying ethos comes from a life spent recognizing the natural world for what it is—including the sublime, towering ranges of the Eastern Alps visible from his workshop windows.

In addition to his signature “Broken” motif pipes, Christian Ruetz also spends a fair amount of time exploring the staples of post-war artisan pipe making. But he does so in a way that channels his particular, naturalistic design philosophy, transforming those shapes in the process.

In the case of this one, it is a squat and broad Dublin, though one that is distinctly low-slung and seasoned with subtle asymmetries. It’s a little like if one crossed the pipes of someone like Peter Matzhold, for example, with one of the many Scandinavian-inspired Japanese carvers of the last few decades—who were, of course, similarly inspired by nature in their compositions. The bowl is, as one should expect from Ruetz, beautifully grained, though what stood out to me is the accent used to cap the pipe’s teardrop shank end, which was fashioned from curly birch. Masur birch, also known as curly birch, is a fascinating mutation of the silver birch tree, one whose “normal” growth is warped by a genetic condition. The result is a hardwood whose fibers “curl” in upon themselves, forming beautifully irregular, knotted patterns. It’s a popular material for the decorative side of pipe making, but it’s also one that seems especially fitting for Ruetz, whose work is grounded in a Romantic idea of natura naturans, or nature naturing.

Details:

Length: 5.7″ / 144.7mm

Bowl Width: 0.82 / 20.82mm

Bowl Depth: 1.13″ / 28.70mm

Weight: 1.6oz / 46g