Castello: Collection Bent Pot (Big Line) Tobacco Pipe

Italian workshop Castello has a rich history that stretches back to 1947 with its founding by Carlo Scotti, being established as one of the first Italian brands to offer high-quality handmade pipes to the general public. In the 1960s, following the addition of Luigi Radice and Peppino Ascorti to their team of carvers, Castello's pipes began to take on a form that was quite different from the Anglo-French classics that they and others had been producing. The Italian neoclassical style which they had begun to develop led not only to a shaping renaissance within Italy, but the production of a number of now iconic profiles, including the "55" bent Pot seen here. This singular take on the storied shape is defined by its aerodynamic silhouette and forward-jutting, chin-like heel, the latter of which has become synonymous with the "55" and has led to a large following, with entire collections based around this particular shape. The bowl sitting atop this heel takes on a sleek taper to its flattened rim and leans slightly rearward, its thick walls ensuring your hand stays insulated from the tobacco within its capacious chamber. A wide transition leads to a trim stretch of tapering shank whose sleek diminution is continued by the black acrylic stem, which takes on a demure downturn at the bit. This pipe is a member of Castello's Big Line, one which denotes larger than average briars, certainly the case here considering its appreciable heft. Dressed in the workshop's Collection finish, this pipe's warm auburn stain and glossy sheen showcase some beautiful grain all around.