Castello: Old Antiquari Bulldog (KKKK) Tobacco Pipe

When Carlo Scotti founded Castello in 1947, he set out to redefine the image of Italian pipes in the minds of pipe buyers at the time. By marketing the handmade aspect of his pipes — in contrast to the plethora of factory-made pipes flooding the market — he elevated the status of his company, while also helping to set the bowl-centric and whimsical shaping ideals now common in Italian neoclassic pipe making. With balanced proportions between the shank, stem, and bowl, this Bulldog, bestowed with Castello's "KKKK" designation, is a rather reserved take on the traditional shape. A diamond shank grows out of the bowl from a thick transition, forming a chaste taper that continues through the stem and into the bit. The shank's bottom edge continues through the bowl's base, ending at the fore of the heel with a dignified point. From this point, the bowl's curvature takes off, expanding into a double beadline that marks the beginning of a slick taper to the rim. The stummel wears the workshop's Old Antiquari finish — the skillfully rendered sandblast spotlighting ripples of growth rings emanating from the heel.