Mike Sebastian Bay Rusticated Apple with Horn (Estate)

It is a happy irony that Mike Sebastian Bay was introduced to pipe-making by breaking one. After dropping his father’s old Peterson and searching for someone to repair it, he visited the workshop of Tom Eltang, whom Bay had briefly met as a child on a family vacation. The Peterson—sadly—could not be saved but, during the long and friendly conversation between the two during the visit, Bay wondered whether he should simply replace the pipe with a new one, and whether he could be the one to make it. Eltang was happy to supply Bay with briar and ebonite and, quickly realizing his potential, invited Bay to take a job in the Eltang workshop. Here, Bay had the opportunity to apprentice directly under Eltang, learning to craft high-grade, handmade pipes, and helping to manufacture the serially produced pipes from the Eltang make. It should be no surprise that these events have led to Bay becoming one of the most acclaimed of the latest generation of Danish artisan pipe makers.

Rusticated pipes are something of a signature of Mike Sebastian Bay’s, just as they are for his mentor, Tom Eltang. Unsurprisingly, there is a direct connection between the two; as a protégé of Eltang, Bay was given the latter’s blessing to take up, and further develop, Eltang’s signature approach to rustication for his own pipes. Of course, Bay did not simply adopt a 1-1 imitation of that finishing, but instead broadened the horizons of the techniques involved, resulting in pipes that bear a familial resemblance to Eltang’s pokers and cutties, while being nonetheless unique. Thus we find pipes like this one from Bay, a lightweight apple rendition that appears almost pumpkin-like owing to its blending of aleatory roughing and neatly geometric, vertical furrows.

The condition is very good. Some very minor rim charring. This pipe comes with its original leather sleeve.

Details:

Length: 5.1″ / 129.5mm

Bowl Width: 0.75 / 19.05mm

Bowl Depth: 1.53″ / 38.86mm

Weight: 0.9oz / 28g