Italian Estates: Castello Collection Great Line Bent Dublin (KK) (1998) Tobacco Pipe

The name Castello, "castle" in Italian, is meant to evoke an aura of pleasant fantasy. Founded by Carlo Scotti in 1947, Castello became a trendsetting marque, being among the first Italian brands to market luxury, hand-made pipes and helping to set the bowl-centric and whimsical standards typical of Italian neoclassicism. Coming from Castello's Great Line, this flamboyant bent Dublin is a large pipe that fits nicely into neoclassical Italian style. Flame grain, starting at the pronounced heel and ringing the entire bowl, guides the eye through a wide flare into the plateau-topped rim. Upon crossing the rugged plain of the rim, one encounters a vast chamber almost two inches deep — ideal for an extended smoking session. A buff transition, acutely angled, connects the bowl to a long, grooved shank. Short and with a delphine arc to its taper, the stem accentuates the enormity of the bowl, falling in line with typical, bowl-centric proportions of the neoclassical style. The stain resembles the colors of golden oak, making for a subtle contrast between the lines of the grain, which emphasizes upward motion.