Italian Estates: Savinelli Artisan Smooth Bent Dublin Tobacco Pipe

Savinelli's Autograph line of pipes has existed since the 1970's, and in those nigh on 50 years, only 6 artisans have ever crafted pipes for the series, with each pipe entirely handmade by a single individual. This particular Autograph is an incredibly organically inclined bent Dublin, replete with fluid, sweeping lines and a judicious, though fairly extensive, use of plateau. The stem erupts from a plateau covered shank face, its dramatic flare toward the button and expansion ring near the base making up for the litheness inherent in the saddle configuration and better matching the thickness of the shank. The shank itself is my favorite part of this pipe, as, rather than simply arcing upward, this shank, in a startling display of carving talent, creates a u-shaped curve, reaching up from the transition before falling almost at the same elevation as it started. The bowl flares toward the rim, as Dublins should, resting on a rather pronounced heel that, despite its bulbousness, still continues the undercurve from the shank end, reaching up to the rim through the fore of the bowl as well. Dressed in a warm chestnut stain, this piece displays a bevy of flame grain streaks on all flanks of the stummel, with dots of birdseye peeking through the peaks of the plateau.