Il Duca Sandblasted Belge (B) Tobacco Pipe

Though the Belge is a classic, timeless shape, this rendition is immediately recognizable as the work of Max Rimensi. He handcrafts Il Duca pipes in Ferrara, Italy, and his design style often centers around sleek and streamlined proportions. In this piece, a slender and elongated shank and stem imbue the pipe not only with a featherweight smoking posture, but a cutting, aerodynamic profile that brings the tall bowl into full prominence. As is characteristic of the Belge shape, the rounded bowl pitches forward at a stronger cant than would be typical of, say, a standard Billiard, and it serves the composition well, continuing the sleek lines of the shank and stem into a dynamic, forward-surging silhouette. It's all dressed in a dark sandblast, but the hand-cut mouthpiece offers a splash of colorful brindled vulcanite for accenting contrast.