Italian Estates: Davide Iafisco Smooth Dublin (2018) Tobacco Pipe

Though he hails from Italy, Davide Iafisco is a pipe maker who draws inspiration from Danish, Japanese, and American design traditions. His various influences are channeled through his personal creative prism, resulting in designs that are singularly his own. This Dublin is a fetching showcase of Iafisco's recognizable style, displaying his typical measuredness and precise line work. Up front, a stocky, full-bodied bowl stands atop a firm heel and grows thick, insulating walls that flare to a broad, flat rim. A wide transition follows said bowl and marks the start of a thick shank and a slender tapered stem. The shank-and-stem arrangement provides balance to the form and keeps the composition's aft looking sleek and streamlined in profile. Dressing this piece is a warm smooth finish that highlights impressive tendrils of flame grain across the bowl's flanks.