Description
This “Todd Brugman 1/4 Bent Paneled Brandy With Limited Edition German Vulcanite Sand Gray Swirl Stem” is a one-of-a-kind pipe by our in-house pipe maker Todd Brugman. Brugman is known for his unique style that is highly influenced by neo-classical Italian shaping cues and Danish Minimalism with a focus on pushing traditional English shapes; yet despite being quite contemporary, his work always harkens a timeless aesthetic.
Brugman keeps the Danish minimalism and neo classical Italian shaping cues with this pipe but takes in in a new direction with a combination of attributes that aren’t often seen together yet compose a perfectly balanced and harmonious pipe.
It is rare for a “Brandy” to be paneled in a traditional manner, and it is also very rare to have a bent paneled pipe; yet this pipe clearly contains all those attributes, and more, with continuity in the design, a seamless flow of lines, yet retaining the classical and timeless look, and the beautiful straight grain that Brugman is so known for.
With all the geometry in this composition, the lines of the panels are organic in nature, creating a brilliant and harmonious dichotomy of the organic and geometric.
The stem flares out in a fish tail style for comfortable clenching, only enhanced by the (physical) weight of the pipe being quite light and balanced (balanced visually as well) via the 1/4 bend.
Brugman uses a staining technique here where he does multiple thin layers of different pigments (5 to 7), sanding in between each layer, this retains the natural color of the briar, it gives it a virgin look, yet deepens the contrast in the straight grain and birds eye.
There is a “melting-pot” of influences and shaping cues in Brugman’s work, making his pipes very recognizable and unique. But more notably Brugman’s style harken a sense of “Americana” aesthetic, and could be said to be made in the way of traditional Americana shaping cues, if such a genre existed outside of his work (it does, but isn’t truly recognized; Brugman is pushing “Americana” pipe shaping to the next level)
One should note that this pipe, as always seen in a Brugman, has a stunning display of grain, including beautiful birds eye on the bottom and top of the shank, the rim, and the heel of the stummel. Straight grain wraps around the stummel and along the shanks only to be interrupted by two small inclusions on the front panel. Brugman often leaves the inclusions visible rather than hiding them (via a dark stain or other finishing methods) as he feels it is part of the organic nature of the medium and if it is just a small blemish, then it is not a flaw and, as he will say: I deny the flaw.
This Pipe is on the larger size, about a “group 5″, yet is perfectly balanced therefore it will clench well.
Perfectly drilled and engineered, this pipe is as much a precision instrument as it is a work of art.
size: 5 1/8″ long with a 1 3/4” tall bowl
weight: 52 Grams
