Italian Estates: Castello 'Castello' 75th Anniversary (52.75) (2022) Tobacco Pipe

From the mind of Italian artisan Carlo Scotti, Castello was founded in 1947 with the goal of offering handmade pipes that exude quality in both form and function. Working together with Luigi Radice and Peppino Ascorti, the three would serve as key innovators in defining Italian neoclassical pipe design. Created in 2022, this piece from Castello is part of a series celebrating the Italian marque's 75th anniversary. Each piece is numbered out of 75, with this pipe being number 52. This Billiard from Castello is exemplary of the Italian neoclassical design philosophy that Castello has helped establish, featuring a bold, hearty physique and bowl-centric design. The bowl stands tall and firm, its thick walls rising high from a pronounced heel to a flat rim, its strapping figure filling the hand easily. Out back, a muscular oval shank transitions from the bowl and is punctuated by an abbreviated, tapering stem. Completing this classic piece is Castello's eponymous finish, dressing the stummel in a warm auburn stain that pairs well with the swirling tones of the stem's shimmering, toffee-hued acrylic.