Jacono: Knight Bent Apple Tobacco Pipe

In 1981, Tonino Jacono's father-in-law extended an offer to start a new pipe making workshop, his father-in-law providing high-quality briar from his job at a briar-cutting mill, his brother shaping the pipes, and Tonino himself doing the finishing. The idea was developed further, and, two years later, the first Jacono pipes were made in 1983 from out of the family's small workshop in Jesi, Italy. Tonino's start at this new venture was guided by a simple principle: offer pipes of the highest possible quality at the best possible price. Tonino now heads the company and has taken on carving responsibilities himself, staying true to his original goal, though benefiting from more than three decades of pipe making experience and a reputation for excellence. This bent Apple is a wonderfully sinuous iteration of the shape, with a transition wide enough to accept a digit and a lifting shank which meets a smartly downturned stem of jet-black acrylic. The bowl is plump and full-bodied, fitting well into Jacono's portfolio of stout, muscular pipes and pairs nicely with the stem's curvature to offer a comfortable smoking posture and a lovely visual balance. Dressed in a craggy rustication and dark stain, courtesy of the Knight series, the stummel here features a rugged texture and is lent ample contrast thanks to smooth briar at the rim and shank end.