Castello Collection Fiammata Bent Pot (KK) (2015) (Unsmoked) Tobacco Pipe

Carlo Scotti brought the Castello brand to life in the late 1940s, crafting his pipes in the same shadow of the Alps as the likes of Savinelli and the Rovera family. Scotti's workshop would eventually yield the independent workshops of Caminetto and Radice, both founded by former Castello artisans, but the Castello tradition continues today with the neoclassic designs that make northern Italy such an influential player in the industry of pipe making.

This bent Pot from Castello was awarded their elite "Fiammata" designation for its excellent flame grain and lives up to it quite easily. The tendrils stretch in a parallel orientation from heel to rim, with more flame grain reaching between the top-and-bottom patches of birdseye on the shank. The shank is muscular enough that the aft of the bowl is quite short, while the fore is much taller thanks to a downward-arcing underside that gives it a pronounced point. A lightly bent, tapered stem of black acrylic finishes the piece, which eschews an accent in favor of placing the fine grain at the center of attention. The grain of the smoothly-finished stummel is indeed a brilliant eye-catcher, setting this piece well apart from other bent Pots.