Italian Estates: Jacono Knight Rusticated Lovat (2016) Tobacco Pipe

In 1981, Tonino Jacono's father-in-law extended an offer to start a new pipe making workshop, his father-in-law providing high-quality briar from his job at a briar-cutting mill, his brother shaping the pipes, and Tonino himself doing the finishing. The idea was developed further, and, two years later, the first Jacono pipes were made in 1983 from out of the family's small workshop in Jesi, Italy. Tonino's start at this new venture was guided by a simple principle: offer pipes of the highest possible quality at the best possible price. Tonino now heads the company and has taken on carving responsibilities himself, staying true to his original goal, though benefiting from more than three decades of pipe making experience and a reputation for excellence. While we've seen a number of Lovat renditions from Tonino in the past, this particular piece stands out thanks to its significantly more rounded bowl, especially at the lower section. This manifests as a sweeping heel that rises into stout, softly tapering walls that cant forward subtly from out of a wide transition, affording this pipe an understated dynamism. From out of this transition, a lengthy, round shank extends out to meet a slim saddle stem of black acrylic, completing the shape's iconic silhouette. Dressed in a craggy rustication and dark stain, the stummel is rich with texture, and this texture is nicely contrasted by a smooth-finished rim.