Davide Iafisco: Sandblasted Acorn with Horn Tobacco Pipe

Davide Iafisco's design principles are among the most artistically inclined as any in the world of pipe making, and I find this appropriate given his incredibly philosophical, almost spiritual approach to the medium, something which I both appreciate and empathize with. His start in this journey was sparked by an appreciation for classic, traditional shapes and the longstanding tradition of carving among the various Anglo-French marques, as well as the comparatively more recent rise in Italy's pipe making. Inspired along the way by the work of many modern artisans, Iafisco's own offerings became more Danish-inspired and organically inclined and certainly more strikingly stylized.

The Acorn isn't a shape that we receive often from Iafisco, in fact, it's one we've only seen a small handful of times from the Italian artisan. This particular iteration of the profile is a unique one, with a robust plumpness centered at its bowl, with said bowl acting as the visual anchor of this pipe. A sharp, spurred heel supports the bowl as its walls flare out toward the rim, canting forward as they expand to a high-set waistline and round out nicely at the rim's smooth, chamfered slope into the chamber. The fore wall of the bowl bulges forward a good bit, especially near the waist, and the ample, supple curvature of the the bowl affords this pipe a comfortable feel in hand. A wide transition leaves plenty of room to drape a digit and tapers as it reaches toward a lengthy fitment of horn, one which flares out to meet a sleek, demurely curved saddle stem of warm cumberland tones. The pale hues of the horn accent and the colors of the cumberland stem vibrantly contrast the jet-black sandblast of the stummel, a finish which reveals stacks of rippling grain while the smooth, lightly-stained rim adds further contrast.