Preben Holm Fancy 100 (C5) XL Smooth Freehand Estate Briar Pipe, Unsmoked

Description

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. Owing to Holm’s untimely passing, his pipes are even more highly sought after than they were during his lifetime.

One of the names originally associated with the Scandinavian freehand movement was the “fancy,” or the “Danish fancy.” This term was largely used to denote pipes that we today would simply call “freehands,” not unlike the Nording Freehand lines that dominate the genre today, though not exclusively. Additionally, the word “fancy” did not first arise from the Danish language but was a borrowing from English, particularly as a descriptor of something “modern.” Early catalogs from workshops like WO Larsen, for example, separated their most unconventional shapes from their regular (though still very “Danish”) shapes by referring to the former as “Fancy.” The notion of the Danish Fancy evolved over time, becoming more synonymous with the contemporary “freehand,” likely in part to the sheer force Preben Holm’s name carried in Danish pipe making. For example, this Fancy 100 grade is exemplary of the genre, featuring its signature plateaux burl rim, Holm’s expert use of furls and furrows, and, of course, lavishings of contrast-lit flame grain.

As for dating, the “C5” stamp on the pipe’s underside is purported to have been used by CAO, who took over American distribution of Preben Holm’s pipes in 1985. As Holm laid off his workshop staff in late 1985 and largely stepped away from pipe making shortly after due to health concerns (contributing to his untimely passing in 1989), that would make this one the last pipes produced in Holm’s mature period.

This pipe is completely unsmoked, with an original bowl coating. It comes with its original sleeve.

Details:

Length: 7″ / 177.8mma

Bowl Width: 1.06 / 26.92mm

Bowl Depth: 1.83″ / 46.48mm

Weight: 2.4oz / 70g