Ascorti Striata Partially Rusticated Paneled Bent Pot (Unsmoked) Tobacco Pipe

As the son of Castello alum and Caminetto co-founder Giuseppe "Peppino" Ascorti, Roberto Ascorti's roots in pipe making run deep. After attending art school, he started Ascorti at the age of 22 in 1980 with the help of his father, brother, and girlfriend (who eventually became his wife). Roberto's father and brother have since passed away, but with his wife, Silvana — who has her own self-titled line of pipes — production of Ascorti pipes from fine blocks of aged briar continues to this day.

"Striata" loosely translates to "striped" or "streaked" in English, appropriately in this case, as the bowl of this bent Pot features a vertically carved rustication over a cherry red stain, almost reminding the beholder of a fine flame grain. The bowl is comprised of eight panels but features soft lines leading down to the heel, eschewing the sharp angles of a traditional octagon. The stem and shank are only lightly bent, in the stem's case near the bit, providing a unique silhouette for this shape.