Claudio Cavicchi: Brown Smooth Bent Dublin Tobacco Pipe

Claudio Cavicchi is truly a master of his craft, and his ability to coax the best possible grain out of every piece of briar will always astound me. Originally a farmer, Claudio was first inspired to make pipes after an order he placed for one with his local tobacconist took many months to fill. What resulted was not only a pipe almost exactly like the one Cavicchi was looking for, but a passion that has lasted nearly five decades, his first piece made in 1974. A world-champion slow-smoker with three titles under his belt, Claudio Cavicchi relentlessly seeks perfection in every pipe that he crafts, not only able to read grain exceptionally well, but able to engineer pipes that smoke magnificently. Looking a bit like a Zulu, this bent Dublin embodies a character of modernist charm, its transition a sweeping, curvaceous arc. This arc amplifies the sinuous outline of the pipe as a whole and contrasts the firmer, sharper shaping of the heel quite nicely. The shank and stem take on a consistent taper to the demurely curved bit, the combination holding aloft a flaring, gently forward canting bowl which features a softly domed rim. Dressed in a warm chestnut stain, the stummel here showcases ample flame grain streaking toward the bowl, the rim peppered with dense birdseye.