Becker: Sandblasted Billiard (Four Clubs) Tobacco Pipe

One of the most distinctive names in all of Italian pipe making, Becker Pipes was founded by Fritz Becker in 1974 with his son Paolo. Fritz unfortunately passed away in 1991, and Paolo too in 2014, though the Becker workshop continues, now in their third generation with Federico Becker, Paolo's son. Quite different from the Italian neoclassical style, or English, or most other schools of design for that matter, Becker pipes are uniquely their own, with a focus on svelte proportions, clean lines, and practical shaping, all of which are reflected in this straight Billiard.

There is a palpable sleekness about the shank-and-stem combination of this piece which I really enjoy, the tapered arrangement of the stem adding to it to create a gentle decline and soft slope that gradually meets a wide transition. Said transition is more than wide enough to drape a thumb and sits quite low on the bowl, fostering an aerodynamic outline that is further magnified by the iconic heel, its sharp point looking as if it could deftly slice through the air. The proportions here speak to neoclassicism immediately, as the bowl sits monolithic at the end of this slim shank and stem, its light weight betraying its more than six inches of length. The bowl here is quite tall, more than two inches in height, and its bloom from the pointed heel gives it a dynamic look when viewed directly from the front, with a flare to its rim that makes the straight walls at the fore and aft all the more impressive. An impressive, unstained sandblast dresses the briar here, revealing some handsome grain all around, with ring grain rippling around the bowl, while smooth, lightly stained portions at the shank end and rim add some lovely textural contrast.