Castello: Collection Pot (Big Line) Tobacco Pipe

Founded in 1947 by Carlo Scotti, Castello's commitment to handcrafting high-quality pipes helped elevate the reputation of Italian pipes to luxury status. Furthermore, Castello's approach to shaping helped cultivate the bowl-centric and whimsical Italian neoclassic aesthetic. Castello's Big Line series is quite the interesting one, as it comprises stummels made from briar that has been aged for 12 years, ensuring that the final burl is excellently cured by the time it is shaped. Also, it designates pipes that are really, really large, which this Pot certainly is. Weighing in at more than a quarter of a pound and boasting nearly seven inches in length, this piece offers a wealth of substance in hand, complete with ample thickness throughout its build. The transition is wide and it gives way to a hearty shank that tapers subtly while reaching for a similarly tapering stem of black acrylic, this easy taper pushing further visual weight toward the bowl. A pronounced, muscular heel supports this bowl and the thick, gently tapering walls that it grows toward a flat rim, these walls surrounding a capacious chamber while maintaining a stout, squat character despite its height. Dressed in the rich, dark, chestnut-toned stain of Castello's Collection finish, this piece boasts ample area to appreciate some impressive grain, with flickering streaks of flame surrounding the walls of the bowl.