Italian Estates: Musico Smooth Billiard (Club Special) Tobacco Pipe

In 1990, two notable sons of the pipe world joined together and opened up a shop together. Those two were Pablo Becker and Massimo Musicò, the sons of Fritz Becker and Giorgio Musicò, respectively, and two highly respected individuals within Italy's pipe sphere. Starting in 1995, the pair began making pipes together, with Pablo turning the stummels and Massimo crafting silver spigots and bands to pair with the pipes. The duo enjoyed great success during their partnership, but in 2002, Pablo decided to go back to making artisan pipes full-time under the Becker name. Massimo Continued making Musicò pipes, however, and added the Foundation name to subsequent releases, additionally including the rest of his family in the production of the pipes. Musico is something of an outlier in the realm of Italian pipe making, as, rather than fashion large, boldly neoclassical pieces with a flair for the dramatic, the workshop is instead known for classic shapes in more reserved dimensions. This Billiard fits into that more classic niche, with a proportional shank and bowl, though said bowl showcases a touch more thickness to it compared to more archetypal renditions. Said bowl is plump and pert, with a low-set waistline that marks a slight bit of taper to the rim, enhancing the visual impact of the forward cant which it takes on from out of the transition. This transition is wide and pairs the bowl to a low-lying shank and tapering stem of jet-black vulcanite. Dressed in a warm, light stain, the stummel showcases handsome grain throughout, with rich birdseye on either flank of the bowl.