Nording Hunter, 2014 Crocodile, Smooth

Since the 1960s, Erik Nørding has built a reputation on the Danish Fancy Freehand style. He was among the design movement's earliest pioneers, developing an immediately recognizable shaping aesthetic that forgoes traditional pipe shapes for organic and floral Freehands defined by evocative finishes and detailed flourishes. He's also an avid hunter — his house filled with myriad wall mounts of game from around the world, and Nørding's Hunting Pipe series merges the carver's favorite past time with his distinctive design style.

An annual installment since 1995, the series honors global conservation efforts by celebrating a specific animal through a singular pipe shape each year. This Crocodile edition from 2014 presents a paneled Zulu design in a smooth finish, the fluid gesture of the profile calling to mind the swimming posture of its namesake.

-Truett Smith