Jacono: Knight Bent Ball Tobacco Pipe

Tonino Jacono got his start in pipe making in 1981 when he joined forces with his brother-in-law, who shared his interest in the craft, and his father-in-law, who owned a briar-cutting mill. At first, the trio would share in the pipes' production, with his father-in-law drilling the pipes, his brother-in-law shaping them, and Tonino finishing them. These days, however, Tonino heads production on his own, utilizing charmingly old-school tools and techniques and sustaining the workshop's legacy of excellent pipes at fair prices.

To indicate the caliber of each pipe he produces, Tonino uses a chess-themed grading system wherein the relative value of each game piece corresponds to a different ranking for each pipe. In ascending order, each pipe is ranked as either Pawn (sandblasted), Knight (rusticated), Bishop, Rook, Queen, or King. Receiving a Knight ranking, this bent Ball wears a striking rusticated finish that adds further intrigue to the already distinct-looking piece.