Three new pieces added to my collection

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ZuluCollector

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I've begun photographing the pipes I picked up in Chicago. These three pieces were pre-ordered and picked up in Chicago. I'm quite happy with them.

This is quite a different approach to pipe photography I'm working with right now. I thought I'd try a strategy where the background disappears and and the eye is focused entirely on the shape of the pipe. The colors are quite vivid using this approach though lighting for it is quite a challenge.

The first is a Jack Howell "Volcano-Eskimo." I smoked this piece in Chicago when I was with Jack. it is a very sweet and smooth smoker.

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The second is a bent Danish Egg from Cornelius Mänz. This is an unusual shape for Cornelius and one of which I am very fond. Though I've had a number of pipes from Cornelius, I haven't acquired one in awhile. it was fantastic to meet, talk with, and get to know him in Chicago.

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This is only my second J. Alan pipe. It is a wonderful melange of the blowfish and acorn shapes and Jeff masterfully read the grain. The piece is nearly prismatic in how the grain changes at different planes in the wood. And I love the bakelite stem.

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congrats man, all the pipes are beautiful!

pictures are great, i can almost reach for the danish egg.
 
Yes Neill,

Those are some wonderful pipes you have there- very unique spins on Danish shapes from the American carvers!
 
Nice pipes. But, what really impressed me is your photography. Would you care to share information on your technique? Is it something you're doing with the camera or is it in the processing? I'd love to try it myself.

Connman
 
Ian Minton":jw4t8r6w said:
Yes Neill,

Those are some wonderful pipes you have there- very unique spins on Danish shapes from the American carvers!
So, Ian, I get the Danish influence with the Cornelius. But I have never seen a Danish version of either of the others. The volkimo shape was invented by Jack Howell, as was the acorn-blowfish by Jeff Gracik.

Help me understand how these are "Danish takes?"
 
ZuluCollector":4kodxgm3 said:
Ian Minton":4kodxgm3 said:
Yes Neill,

Those are some wonderful pipes you have there- very unique spins on Danish shapes from the American carvers!
So, Ian, I get the Danish influence with the Cornelius. But I have never seen a Danish version of either of the others. The volkimo shape was invented by Jack Howell, as was the acorn-blowfish by Jeff Gracik.

Help me understand how these are "Danish takes?"
I said Danish "shapes."

The first is a Shape that began with Sixten Ivarsson- the Ukulele, and the Blowfish or "Disc" shape was a Sixten/Lars origin- though there is some who disagree on who did it first.

That is how I came to that conclusion. Sorry if it offended you in making that observation- I was only trying to be nice.
 
Connman":k24jh0dr said:
Nice pipes. But, what really impressed me is your photography. Would you care to share information on your technique? Is it something you're doing with the camera or is it in the processing? I'd love to try it myself.

Connman
The photography has been quite challenging and this is a new strategy I'm working with. I'm shooting the pipes against a black cloth background with the cloth texture being the type that is quite light absorbent. I'm bouncing a single hot light source against walls and/or ceiling to diffuse and soften the light and shooting with aperture priority at 13 to create as much depth of field as possible. I'm shooting very long exposures - often around 30 seconds or more with very low light settings to boost contrast. I'm shooting with a macro lens (150) and am focusing manually because auto-focus will not work in such low light settings. Because vibration is an issue, I'm enabling mirror lockup and taking the shot with a remote to reduce vibration.
 
Ian Minton":mm0j2upn said:
ZuluCollector":mm0j2upn said:
Ian Minton":mm0j2upn said:
Yes Neill,

Those are some wonderful pipes you have there- very unique spins on Danish shapes from the American carvers!
So, Ian, I get the Danish influence with the Cornelius. But I have never seen a Danish version of either of the others. The volkimo shape was invented by Jack Howell, as was the acorn-blowfish by Jeff Gracik.

Help me understand how these are "Danish takes?"
I said Danish "shapes."

The first is a Shape that began with Sixten Ivarsson- the Ukulele, and the Blowfish or "Disc" shape was a Sixten/Lars origin- though there is some who disagree on who did it first.

That is how I came to that conclusion. Sorry if it offended you in making that observation- I was only trying to be nice.
Ian, no offense at all. I was just seeking clarification.

However, I don't agree that Howell's Volkimo shape is anything like Sixten's Ukulele. Sixten never created an Eskimo; his shape was a ukelele and it was altogether different. The Eskimo shape's origin was with Ed Burak and the only thing this has in common with that is the flared aspect ratio; everything else is different. This shape has some internal engineering similarities with Nordh's Ramses, but the angles are different.

The disc shape did originate with Lars; this version - which uses the acorn shape – has shaping language that marries concepts more than shape language.

At some point the departure is not derivative; it is original, I think.
 
It's all good Neill.

The shapes look like very well executed hybrids- ukulele/volcano- blowfish/acorn-of shapes that have developed over the decades from Danish origins. I have always thought and been told by wiser men than myself that the Ukulele shape was the origin of the eskimo- which has been done for some time by Eltang, the stem shank flair was done long ago by S. Bang and Bo Nordh- though Ed's is pleasantly more pronounced and more dramatic in form- looking much more dynamic and organic to my eye.

Reminds me of looking at Roman art and being reminded of the Greek origins 100's of years before.

Regardless of where the ideas came from and who did what they are drop dead gorgeous pipes!!!!!!
 
Absolutely stunning pipes Neill! You and I seem to have very similar taste! :lol: The black background is very effective too. Well done!


Best,
D.J.
 
Hey Dock,

Thanks for the nice words.

I think you're right; we do have similar taste in pipes. I've loved what I've seen you've gotten lately.

Neill
 
Neill showed me the first two while at the show. They are stunning. I'm sorry I did not get to see the J. Alan in person. I can imagine it is just as beautiful.
 
Amazing! I really like that Howell shape. Someday......

Nice photography as well. GLP may have some competition :D
 
I really like the danish egg! That is one of my favorite shapes.
 
lewtang":oy2oggw1 said:
Amazing! I really like that Howell shape. Someday......
Just for fun, here's a photo of the first one Jack did in that shape, that found its way into my collection in August.


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Jack shows remarkable talent, and this shape is a wonderfully harmonious melding of the eskimo and the volcano. He began talking about the pipe after I'd photographed a more "conventional" version of the eskimo for him in B&W.

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As much as I liked it, he'd made the pipe for someone else, so I had to send it back to him, though I admit to almost considering telling him it had been "lost in the post." ;)

I really like Jack's work.

Nice photography as well. GLP may have some competition
Thanks...I think? ;)

-glp
 
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