Italian Estates: Becker Sandblasted Pot (Three Clubs) (Unsmoked) Tobacco Pipe

Federico Becker is a third-generation pipe maker whose late father and grandfather began the Becker workshop in the 1970s. The younger Becker has certainly come into his own in the carving world, marrying his elders' design styles with his own learned skills and creative vision. This fetching Pot is a fine example of Federico's astuteness as an artisan, offering the elegant lines and rich finishing work for which the workshop is known.

A slim and lightweight take on the classic form, this piece sees a squat bowl posed at the fore of a sleek, arrow-straight shank-and-stem arrangement whose reserved reach keeps this pipe compact and easily portable. The bowl boasts a unique, Rhodesian-like build that sees its walls make an easy flare out toward the rim, coming to rest at a firm ridge before giving way to a plump, domed rim. Additionally, the bowl stands atop a firm, angular heel, one that resembles the prow of a ship when viewed from the fore, a signature design cue of Becker's that lends this piece a stylish, aerodynamic aesthetic. An earthy sandblast dresses the stummel and unveils dense stacks of ring grain flowing down the walls of the bowl, with swirls of blasted birdseye showcased across the rim.

--Davin Hylton