Davide Iafisco: Smooth Dublin with Mammoth Tobacco Pipe

Davide Iafisco is an Italian pipe maker, however, his unique style is not exclusively defined by neoclassic Italian aesthetics. A student of master pipe makers such as Adam Davidson, Teddy Knudsen, Chris Asteriou, and Claudio Cavicchi, Iafisco's comprehensive pipe making education has led him to incorporate a wide variety of pipe making aesthetics into his work, resulting in his portfolio spanning from traditional Anglo-French creations to unorthodox Freehands. However, all of Iafisco's pipes are linked by crisp line work, supple shaping, and excellently engineered airways, ensuring each pipe is both beautiful and functional to the same degree of excellence.

This Dublin by Davide Iafisco is a traditional rendition of the shape, but marries elements of several different pipe making traditions together. This pipe features streamlined proportions reminiscent of the Anglo-French school; for example, the bowl features a gentle forward cant and its height is congruent to the shank's length, both traditional Anglo-French design cues. However, the bowl's dimensions are Italian inspired, as the pronounced heel and thick, insulating walls draw on the bowl-centric neoclassic style, while the slightly inflated rim hints at a Danish influence. Iafisco deftly blends these stylistic elements into this bent Dublin's shape, making it feel both familiar and unique.

Moreover, Iafisco's talent for shaping serves to showcase a stunning grain pattern. Dressed in a vivid auburn stain, the bowl displays thin tendrils of flame grain that rise vertically up the walls while shockingly visible growth rings undulate horizontally. Furthermore, the broad rim and underside are packed with swirling birdseye. Iafisco pairs the warm tones of the smooth finish to a jet-black vulcanite stem for a classic look, but he also includes an accent band made from Mammoth, a rare organic material that resembles multicolored marble, making this superbly crafted bent Dublin even more alluring.