Alberto Bonfiglioli Rusticated Bent Egg (XL) Tobacco Pipe

The first thing I noticed about this briar is that it's a pretty minimalistic composition by Bonfiglioli standards. Don't get me wrong; the shaping is full-bodied and thoroughly Italian, the texture deep, and the stem rather colorful. It's the stamping where Alberto was unusually reserved. Typically his pipes bear a plethora of patent numbers, grades, size indicators, and the occasional dolphin or St. Bernard (the dog, not the 11th century archdeacon, though I wouldn't be surprised to eventually find him on one as well).

- Eric N. Squires