Claudio Cavicchi: Black Sandblasted Bent Brandy 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. This bent Brandy is a rather compact piece that is yet possessed of a defined neoclassical styling, with a wide transition giving way to a sleek shank out back. This shank is paired to a sleek saddle stem of black acrylic, the acrylic's demure downturn offering a comfortable posture and balancing some of the bowl's impressive presence. Said bowl stands atop a rounded, lifted heel and boasts a low-set waist, with this waist marking the start of sleekly tapering walls that rise to a flat, smooth rim. The stummel here has been dressed in one of Cavicchi's excellent sandblasts and stained an inky hue, Claudio's talent for shaping to the grain showcased in the rippling growth rings that cascade down the bowl.