Davide Iafisco: Smooth Dublin with Horn Tobacco Pipe

With a deep appreciation for the history and craft of pipe making, Davide Iafisco takes inspiration from various schools of design. He studied personally under carvers like Teddy Knudsen and Claudio Cavicchi and attended the pipe-making seminars of Jeff Gracik and Adam Davidson. Those influences are obviously present in his work, but Iafisco channels them through his personal creative prism, resulting in unique compositions, such as this Dublin.

Although compact in terms of length, measuring under five inches long, this Dublin boasts a tall, full-bodied bowl with a muscular in-hand presence. Said bowl grows thick, insulating walls that flare out of a firm heel and reach toward a broad, asymmetrical rim crowned in plateau, the entire form's outline showcasing a rich, supple curvature. The rim's rugged texture and subtle undulation lend a touch of organic flair to the composition and place further emphasis on the bowl and its striking expansion. Out back, a trim shank emerges from the low-set transition and joins a cumberland saddle stem, their junction marked by an accent of horn that complements the pipe's color palette. A warm, smooth finish dresses the stummel and highlights fine tendrils of flame grain across the bowl's flanks.