Italian Estates: Le Nuvole Smooth Billiard (4 Cloud) Tobacco Pipe

Before beginning Le Nuvole in the mid 1990s, Maurizio Tombari was a pipe maker for Mastro de Paja and Ser Jacopo, gaining experience in two of Italy's most recognizable workshops. Meaning "the clouds," Le Nuvole is Tombari's line of artisan pipes. This Billiard is a sleek and timeless pipe with a wealth of classic charm about its build, its construction hearkening back to the Anglo-French marques of old, save for its conspicuous taper through the shank and stem combination. This taper places further emphasis on the presence of the bowl, but it doesn't lend it the entirety of the visual weight, keeping things looking balanced. Up front, the bowl stands on a rounded heel and grows walls that curve subtly as they rise up to a flat rim, canting forward subtly to infuse the silhouette with a touch of dynamism. Dressed in a warm, light stain and smooth finish, the stummel showcases rich flame grain around the bowl and through the shank.