Castello: 'Castello' Prince with Boxwood Stem (with Extra Stem) (08.20) Tobacco Pipe

Castello's line of limited-edition, boxwood stem-fitted pipes were first introduced in 2021, offered exclusively here on Smokingpipes as part of a collaboration between the renowned Italian workshop and out own Sykes Wilford. This particular piece comes from the third iteration of the series, this time taking the form of a stately Prince similar to Castello's "24" shape but with a straight stem. In addition, this piece, like every member of this series, comes complete with the aforementioned boxwood stem and a black acrylic stem for added versatility and practicality.

As a shape, the outline of this pipe is quite classic, eschewing a good deal of the workshop's more neoclassical stylistic elements in favor of a look that's wholly timeless and classic. The clean, crisp lines of the shank and stem do well to counterbalance the roundness of bowl and the acrylic military mount. The shank and stem are quite low-profile and sleek, offering a distinct elegance in profile that's enhanced by its rather lengthy reach and light weight. Up front, the bowl sits atop a rounded heel and presents its squat build and full curvature with aplomb, the contours of its walls full and plump and lending a comfortable feel in hand. Dressed in the honeyed stain of the workshop's eponymous finish, this pipe showcases some handsome grain throughout, with the boxwood stem complementing the stummel's hues while the mount at the shank end provides striking contrast. Numbered eight of 20 total examples.