Italian Estates: Claudio Cavicchi Smooth Acorn (CCCC) Tobacco Pipe

Claudio Cavicchi is truly a master of his craft, and his ability to coax the best possible grain out of every piece of briar will always astound me. Originally a farmer, Claudio was first inspired to make pipes after an order he placed for one with his local tobacconist took many months to fill. What resulted was not only a pipe almost exactly like the one Cavicchi was looking for, but a passion that has lasted nearly five decades, his first piece made in 1974. A world-champion slow-smoker with three titles under his belt, Claudio Cavicchi relentlessly seeks perfection in every pipe that he crafts, not only able to read grain exceptionally well, but able to engineer pipes that smoke magnificently. Presenting the dramatic proportions of Italian neoclassical style, this Acorn from Claudio Cavicchi is marked by a palm-filling, softly rounded rim and a voluptuous feel in hand. Housing an admirable chamber depth, the bowl is paired to a compact and gently lifted stretch of round shank and demurely curved saddle stem, the combination slender in comparison to the bowl's mass. Dressed in one of Cavicchi's iconic honey-blonde finishes and graded four "C"'s out of five, the bowl is wrapped in dense flame grain, while the rim and underside are peppered with birdseye.