Italian Estates: Luigi Viprati Smooth Bent Dublin (Four Clover) Tobacco Pipe

Luigi Viprati is an experienced Italian craftsman who's been carving fine pipes by hand since 1972, developing a firm grasp on the Italian neoclassical style of pipe making. As the years went on, Viprati received inspiration from Alberto Paronelli, and his hobby turned into a passion in 1984: marking the year when he began stamping his pipes with his name. Viprati focuses on creating high-quality pieces with every pipe that he crafts, and his artistic leanings reveal themselves in pipes such as this bent Dublin. A unique pipe with plenty of personality on offer, this piece boasts a wide transition and a consistently tapering shank and stem combination, the stem itself possessed of a demure downturn at the bit for comfortable smoking. A flat underside allows this pipe to sit rather stably, and it contributes to a firm heel which aptly supports the presence of the bowl, additionally adding some muscular detail to the silhouette. Said bowl is strikingly tall and flares dramatically out to a broad rim that's divided into two halves: a smooth portion on the left, and a raised, half-crown of craggy plateau on the right. Dressed in a warm, smooth finish that reveals handsome grain throughout, there's much to appreciate here, with the pale white acrylic stem offering some striking contrast.