Italian Estates: Il Cerchio Smooth Bent Apple with Elk Antler Tobacco Pipe

Meaning "The Circle" in Italian, Il Cerchio pipes are handmade by Angelo Del Prete, who started crafting pipes in 2018 to expand the selection of his own tobacco shop's high-quality pipes. To that end, Del Prete dedicated himself to intense research on pipes and their manufacture, going on to learn shaping and finishing techniques from some of Italy's most renowned artisan makers, including Davide Iafisco and Massimiliano Rimensi. As an artisan, Del Prete draws inspiration mainly from the Danish school of pipe making, centering his aesthetic around elegant forms rich with dynamic curvature and momentum, though he is equally talented in creating classic Anglo-French profiles.

This bent Apple is certainly a pipe within the former category, separated quite a bit from more classic examples through its uniquely carved bowl and aerodynamic shank and stem combination. The shank itself is a compressed ovoid shape that lifts out from a cheeked transition, tapering subtly as it pushes out toward a junction marked by a vulcanite band and flaring accent of elk antler. The antler is rounded by a firm ridgeline which adds a bit of firmness and mirrors the look of the trim, demurely curved saddle stem's expansion ring, these twin flares creating a locus of visual intrigue which pulls a bit of the visual weight away from the bowl. Said bowl is balanced nicely by the shank and stem trailing away behind it and is supported by a lifted heel, its walls flaring swiftly into a low-set waistline before tapering to the rim. The fore wall features a far more pronounced taper than the aft wall here, lending the bowl itself a rearward slant which affords the silhouette of this pipe a momentum-rich stance and perfectly parallels the bowl's grain orientation. Dressed in a vibrant chestnut contrast stain, this pipe showcases a wealth of flame grain wrapping around the circumference of the stummel, the underside having been peppered with birdseye as the heel displays a kiss of plateau.