PREBEN HOLM Fancy Sandblast

October 16, 2016January 7, 2019

Denmark

Danish carver Preben Holm was perhaps the most bright and inspiring person in history of pipe making. He sold his first pipes before his 16 birthday. Preben Holm was one of most significant inventors and developers of “Danish pipe design” and many smokers and enthusiasts respect him as a father of freehand pipes.

The pipe markings are “PREBEN HOLM \ FANCY \ SANDBLAST \ HAND MADE \ IN \ DENMARK”. The length is 15.0 cm (5.9″), bowl’s height is 7.0 cm (2.76″). External diameter of the bowl is 4.7 cm (1.85″), internal diameter is 2.3 cm (0.9″). The depth is 4.4 cm (1.73″) and this pipe weights 65 gr. Briar, vulcanite stem, no filter. The chamber has been protected with a break-in coat.

G. W. SIMS
G. W. SIMS
November 23, 2025November 23, 2025
England, 1960-70s As Pipedia notes, “G.W. Sims was one of the few English pipe makers who produced Danish style freehands carved from specially selected plateau briar. Mr. Sims willingly made pipes to personal specifications”. Today, we have the pleasure of presenting an example of just such work by the former Charatan’s carver and later an…
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INVICTA
INVICTA by COLIN FROMM
September 2, 2023September 2, 2023
1 Comment
England, 1970s Colin Fromm belongs “to the small number of English pipe artisans skilled in making high-end freehand shapes” (c) pipedia. Invicta was Colin’s first major project since 1974 when the ownership of Medway Pipe Repair changed to Colin Leeson, along with the company name becoming Invicta Briars. However, Colin soon shifted his focus to…
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PREBEN HOLM
PREBEN HOLM Hand Cut (3)
March 28, 2021March 28, 2021
Denmark, 1960s A creature of young Preben Holm carved in the late 1960s, when his pipes were stamped with with the “Preben Holm” name and such grade numbers in a circle. At that time the artisan was not elder than 24 years and the era of fantastic success of his Danish Ben Wade pipes had…
Read More PREBEN HOLM Hand Cut (3)
BEN WADE DENMARK PREBEN HOLM
BEN WADE Golden Matt
April 11, 2015January 31, 2019
Denmark, 1970s For the readers of our local site we start publishing of our own translation of the article written by Preben Holm (the English text is available at the pipedia.org). For everyone else we are glad to represent one of Preben Holm pipes made in 1970’s in cooperation with Charatan’s.
Read More BEN WADE Golden Matt
BEN WADE DENMARK PREBEN HOLM
BEN WADE Golden Walnut
January 24, 2017December 30, 2018
Denmark, 1970s This is perhaps the largest freehand pipe we have offered over the last years. The pipe was made by legendary Danish artisan Preben Holm in 1970s. Initially Ben Wade was an old good English family manufactory. Soon after the WWII the brand was acquired by Lane Ltd from USA, the producer of fantastic…
Read More BEN WADE Golden Walnut
BEN WADE
Ben Wade (relief grain)
October 31, 2021October 31, 2021
England, 1960s This attractive freehand is not different from the Lane era Charatan’s make Relief Grain series pipes, and this is not surprising: the pipe was made at the same factory during the same period by the same carvers. Actually we don’t see any convincing reasons why it was stamped Ben Wade, not Charatan’s Make….
Read More Ben Wade (relief grain)