Becker: Sandblasted Natural Dublin (Four Clubs) Tobacco Pipe

Founded by Fritz Becker in 1974, the Becker workshop has remained a family institution for half a century, presently manned by third-generation artisan Federico Becker. Becker's style stands out among other Italian pipe makers, not focusing on creating pipes of massively enhanced proportions, but crafting pipes that showcase slender, rakish profiles and a distinctive angularity. 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 Dublin.

There is a palpable sleekness about the shank-and-stem combination of this piece which I really enjoy, the slim shank and tapering cumberland stem creating a gentle decline and soft slope that gradually ebbs out from a wide transition. Said transition is more than wide enough to drape a digit and is raised slightly from the heel, fostering a Cherrywood-like outline as the heel extends into a taut, flat panel. Impressively lightweight despite its rather firm profile, this piece boasts a charming, practical profile that centers the visual weight at the bowl without sacrificing any comfortable hands-free smokability. The tall bowl blooms out, rising from the flattened heel and expanding toward a high-set ridge that additionally marks the rim's soft dome toward its chamfer into the chamber, the walls full of enough curvature to lend comfort in the hand. A crisp, natural sandblast dresses the briar here, revealing some handsome grain all around, with ring grain rippling around the bowl, while the hues of the stem's warm cumberland lend some understated contrast to the pipe: the unstained briar sure to accrue bespoke patina as this pipe is smoked.