Claudio Cavicchi: Bologna 2023 Gigante Rusticated Bent Billiard Tobacco Pipe

Claudio Cavicchi's Bologna series began in 2018, and it's one of the Italian artisan's most unique releases, being a once-yearly limited edition which was initially a collaboration with leathersmith Claudio Albieri. The Bologna collection has become a solo venture in recent years, and for 2023 it comprises a variety of shapes, such as this bent Billiard, that all share a singular feature: their incredible size. This particular release is a special one, not only thanks to its limited quantity, but because it marks the first time that the series' pipes are also part of the Gigante line. Gigante pipes are the largest pipes that Cavicchi crafts, being longer, thicker, and heavier than others and sure to appeal to enthusiasts of immense briars. Further underscoring the size of this line and these pipes, each of the released Bologna pipes for 2023 boasts no less than half a pound of substance for the hands to appreciate. Cavicchi showcases his more neoclassical leanings across these shapes, with a strikingly slender shank-and-stem combination paired to an enormous bowl, placing nearly all of the visual weight at the fore and drawing the eye to the bowl's presence immediately. Said bowl's Goliath stature ensures that the cavernous chamber is insulated well, promising lengthy, comfortable smoking sessions from what is sure to be a well-loved comfort pipe. Each example for 2023 comes dressed in a craggy, darkly stained rustication and is paired to a jet-black acrylic stem.