Claudio Cavicchi: Brown Smooth Bent Dublin Tobacco Pipe

Claudio Cavicchi never ceases to amaze me with his pipes, as each time I go to look at one of his works I am flabbergasted at how precise he is when working out grain. This bent Dublin is not only a beautifully grained briar, but an excellently shaped one at that, given the sinuous lines which the shape has been imbued with. From the button to the rim, there's an S-curve of a center line that gives the pipe a palpable fluidity, the expansion ring on the saddle stem matching the flare to the shank end to unify the look of the composition. The transition is smooth but sudden, giving the middle of the briar some parabolic negative space, and sweeps upward to the rim quite quickly. The heel is soft, but not lifted, and it supports the sizable bowl quite easily, the gradual flare to the rim terminating with a halo of plateau, matching the surface of the shank face. Dressed in one of Cavicchi's warm, chestnut-hued stains, this pipe showcases some handsome grain throughout, with some especially nice flame grain wrapping around the bowl.