Italian Estates: Castello 'Castello' Bent Apple (KK) (2012) Tobacco Pipe

A unique take on the bent Apple from Italian workshop Castello, this piece is possessed of a Hawkbill-like stance that sees the shank and stem take on an aquiline curve out of the transition. This curvature serves to set this pipe apart from many of its contemporaries, and its slight nature adds a sense of mystique to the pipe that holds the eye. The shank and stem are a compressed ovoid shape that keeps them looking low-profile from the sides, placing more visual weight on the bowl in silhouette and allowing one to appreciate its plump form even more. Said bowl is almost Billiard-like in shape, with a pronounced heel and slightly curvaceous walls that lend it a mid-set waist and a comfortable feel in hand. Dressed in the workshop's eponymous finish, this piece displays handsome grain throughout its composition, with birdseye on the flanks of the bowl and wrapping cross grain through the top and underside.