Italian Estates: Claudio Cavicchi Smooth Bent Brandy (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. Fairly compact compared to Cavicchi's usual style, the overall length of this bent Brandy is under five and a half inches, belying the impressive substance this pipe embodies as a whole. The shank here lifts gracefully as it pushes out of the transition, tapering gently to meet the black acrylic stem, itself continuing the taper. The duo additionally boasts a square paneling throughout its travel, seeing four ridgelines surrounding it and lending the combination a firm, muscular aesthetic that balances the bowl's supple roundness. Said bowl is quite hearty as well, with ample curves and a low-set waistline that fills out the contours of the fingers well, tapering to its rim and taking on a slight forward cant for some added dynamism. 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 and the rim and underside are draped with birdseye.