Becker: Smooth Acorn (Four Hearts) Tobacco Pipe

A third-generation pipe maker, Federico Becker continues the long legacy of his grandfather Fritz and father, Paolo. Although Federico is based in Italy, many of his pipes are inspired by the English tradition, creating an aesthetic that is uniquely Becker. Feederico continues the signature Becker style, pairing crisp line work with sleek proportions and typically dressing his pipes in light smooth finishes or dark sandblasts.

This Acorn by Becker is stamped with Four Hearts, the artisan's penultimate grade just behind the rare Royal Flush. Moreover, the Acorn shape lends well to one of Becker's signature design cues, the pronounced, sharp heel at the fore of the composition. Ascending from said heel, the bowl's curvaceous walls rise to a plump rim, which elegantly bends inwards to a chamfered inner-rim that encircles the chamber. Furthermore, the bowl's considerable forward tilt gives the underside an angular profile as it transitions into the thin shank, and the vulcanite tapered stem rounds out the sleek back end. Additionally, the stummel is dressed in a virgin finish, showcasing the stunning blonde tones of natural briar. A fetching array of vertical grain rises from an underside speckled with tightly-packed birdseye, which will continue to develop in striking detail as the pipe accrues a fine patina after many smokes.