Roger Wallenstein Pipes

There are few pipe makers whose work is more unique than that of German carver Roger Wallenstein. A pipe smoker from youth, just 14 years old, all of the men in Roger's family, grandfather, father, brothers, and son, are all pipe smokers. While a lawyer by trade, Roger spends his free time smoking, collecting, carving, and dreaming of new ways to interpret the humble smoking pipe. His ability to think outside the confines of what many think is the "proper" form of a pipe has brought us some incredibly singular creations.

Roger began carving seriously in 2004, after some encouragement from fellow German carver Cornelius Maenz. This began a journey in which he would visit and learn from some of the worlds finest carvers - Joao Reis, Jorgen Nielsen, Bertram Safferling, and Peter Klein. True to this spirit of solidarity, Roger frequently collaborates with other German carvers like Uwe Meier, Axel Glasner, and Steffen Mueller.

Drawing inspiration from his experiences, sea life, and contemporary art, each Wallenstein pipe is bound to evoke an emotional response. By using interesting and vibrant color combinations, unorthodox shaping, and his "driftwood" finish, a process by which a detailed and weathered looking pattern in the grain emerges, each pipe is as one-of-a-kind as a thumbprint. Roger typically uses premium German ebonite and high grade Mediterranean briar.

Whatever adjectives you use to describe Wallenstein's work, we hope they'll be, as Roger likes to say, "pipes that make you smile."