Italian Estates: Luigi Viprati Smooth Billiard with Horn (One Clover) Tobacco Pipe

Luigi Viprati is an experienced Italian craftsman who's been carving fine pipes by hand since 1972, developing a firm grasp on the Italian neoclassical style of pipe making. As the years went on, Viprati received inspiration from Alberto Paronelli, and his hobby turned into a passion in 1984: marking the year when he began stamping his pipes with his name. Viprati focuses on creating high-quality pieces with every pipe that he crafts, with this Billiard representing some of his more reserved, timeless work. Though it's fairly light, this pipe is also lengthy, with an appreciable reach to its shank and stem combination, and it boasts a tall, full-bodied bowl at the fore. The transition is wide, and it gives way to a continuously tapering stretch of shank and stem, with the stem itself comprising a pale length of horn, standing out immediately against the stummel's finish. A flattened underside allows this pipe to sit stably, supporting the bowl and its rounded heel as its walls make a subtle, forward-canting taper to the rim. Comfortable in the hand and endlessly charming, this pipe is finished in a rich, vibrant auburn stain that unveils a dense sunburst grain pattern on the aft wall of the bowl and ample birdseye at the fore.