Rook Bent Dublin Churchwarden (EE) (Checkmate Checkmate) (with Extra Stem) (2026) Tobacco Pipe

Tonino Jacono entered the pipe business in 1981, finishing and selling pipes that were shaped by his brother-in-law from briar acquired and drilled by his father-in-law. After two years, Jacono left Calabria — the region comprising the Italian peninsula's southwestern "toe" — and moved north to Jesi, a municipality near Italy's Adriatic coast. Jacono began making pipes under his own name in Jesi, and still does today, with a philosophy of making high-quality pipes at a fair price point.

Jacono uses a grading system that follows the value of chess pieces: in ascending order, it goes Pawn (sandblasted), Knight (rusticated), Bishop, Rook, Queen, and King. Checkmate designates an especially large piece. As can be seen in the title here, this bent Dublin Churchwarden is deemed "Checkmate Checkmate," and with good reason. At nearly 11 inches in length with the Churchwarden stem, it weighs in at a whopping 0.375 pounds — exactly six ounces. The flame grain that adorns the bowl is tightly packed and upright, and the bowl canted forward in the traditional orientation of a Dublin. The shank is brief but dramatically flared as it reaches back to hold either stem that this piece comes with, and the shank face is ringed with short plateau matching that of the bowl's rim. Needless to say, this piece fills the entire hand with considerable ease and is sure to please fans of large pipes.