Castello: Flame Bent Dublin (12.20) Tobacco Pipe

One of Castello's most limited production lines, the Flame series sees less than half a dozen pieces produced each year. As the name suggests, these pipes are decorated in a carved finish of striking flames, with every piece fashioned from the highest quality briar. For a number of years, the same artisan in Castello's workshop was responsible for the Flame line. His retirement, though, introduces a new artisan and, thus, a slightly different style of carving. Previously, the fiery finish was rendered in a more broad-sweeping, relief style — the flames all sharing much of the composition, separated only once they came to their particular, licking points of flame. This year, though, the aesthetic changes somewhat — the tendrils of flame being rendered in a much more slender, individual sense of detail.

This particular bent Dublin is stamped "12.20," denoting that only 20 total pieces will be fashioned for this run of the Flame series, of which this is number 12. The sleek, blazing aesthetic adorns the lower bowl, and from out of the inferno rises a flaring bowl, the rim studded in rugged plateau. It all comes proudly showcased in its own presentation box, the box having been afforded the same expert craftsmanship and consideration as the pipe it houses. Paneled in neat sections of briar, the case features a lively display of grain all around. An absolutely stunning piece from the revered Italian workshop, this Flame is a must-have for a serious collector of Castello pipes.