Leafy Sea Dragon by Tonni Nielsen

While there are many notable pipe collections in our pipe community, Richard Friedman’s Sea Creature collection is unique among them. Taking its inspiration from Richard’s life at sea, his collection is populated with a vast array of ocean creatures—some so exotic and other-worldly that it boggles the mind that their essential shapes or natures could be imagined, let alone rendered, in briar.

Leafy Sea DragonWhile some shapes, like the blowfish, fugu, and whale, have made their way into the mainstream, others like the manta ray, the sea horse, the squid or the octopus will almost certainly never become commonplace. Among these rarities, one in particular stands out: a Leafy Sea Dragon by Tonni Nielsen that Richard acquired at the last Richmond Pipe Show.

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At the peak of his powers.

Lasse Skovgaard, Tonni Nielsen, and Mimmo Romeo at the Chicago Show several years ago.

Several weekends ago at the Richmond CORPS Show, I spent quite a few hours chatting with Danish-American pipemaker, Tonni Nielsen, and with my friend Richard Friedman, too, who Tonni mentored in pipemaking. Our conversation was revelatory to me, full of insights.

I was particularly struck by Tonni’s humility. How many 60-year old pipemakers will admit to feeling nervousness about staying at the top of their game? How many talk about ensuring that they stay practiced in some of the more difficult operations in pipemaking? Everything about Tonni Nielsen – from his lean and muscular profile to the penetrating gaze of his eyes, to the luminary quality of his artisan circle of colleagues, to an awesome body of work over a lifetime that began in the teen years of his apprenticeship at W.O. Larsen – evidences a master craftsman at the peak of his powers. Despite all that, I heard the voice of someone who takes nothing for granted, least of all his ability to meet his own standards while continuing to push himself beyond where he has grown to now.

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Talking Shop

A week ago today I found myself visiting Richard Friedman’s shop in Bellingham, Washington where we spent a couple of days immersed in all things pipe. Our days together included pipe restoration, pipe-making, pipe-smoking, and a drive north to Vancouver, BC where we spent last Sunday afternoon with the Vancouver Pipe Club.

Richard Friedman concentrating on a pipemaking operation.Since I first planned my trip to the Northwest, I have looked forward to visiting Richard’s new shop. He is the first of my friends to have begun a journey from pipe collector to pipe maker. Although I am not surprised that he is enjoying his journey so much, the rate at which he has progressed surprises even me, and I know better than many people how skilled Richard is working with his hands and how relentlessly he applies himself to his interests.

Richard’s work as a charter yacht captain in Southeast Alaska requires a dizzying array of technical and mechanical skills. If something goes awry with the engines or equipment aboard the Alaskan Song, it is up to him to set things right, and it is not just the comfort of his passengers and crew that are at stake, but their lives, as well since the setting for such an event is the wild and remote Alaskan maritime wilderness. So, I was not at all surprised to discover a well-planned and thoroughly equipped shop replete with a wonderful array of vintage tobaccos, Northwest art, and every manner of tool both imagineable and unimagineable.

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Swept Away

It rarely happens, but once in a great while I stumble across a pipe that is so compelling and extraordinary that I add it to my collection without respect to whether the artisan or shape falls within my collection focus. I’m thrilled when this happens. These events conjure the unbridled, naïve awe and enthusiasm that bubbled up when I was new to the bigger pipe world.

I was swept away by such an event the week before last when I encountered the exquisite Viking-graded bent dublin by Tonni Nielsen that you see pictured here. This is among the two or three most beautiful pipes in my collection and - at least to me - that’s saying something. I feel indebted to Tonni Nielsen for evoking my response; his work has reminded me just how much joy this hobby can create. 

Like many of you, I see a lot of pipes. I attend three to four pipe shows yearly. I’ve been blessed to browse through number of wonderful collections. Like many in our hobby, I regularly receive email updates from many pipe makers. I visit pipe forums daily and look at online offerings from various pipe re-sellers. I see a lot of pipes I’d like to have. I see few that I must have.

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