Claudio Cavicchi: Black Sandblasted 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. This bent Dublin is an extremely demurely curved piece from the Italian artisan, its silhouette reminiscent of the Horn in its gently flowing lines. A wide transition gives way to a tapering shank that forms a seamless junction with a similarly tapering stem of subtly curved black acrylic. Up front, the bowl stands atop a rounded heel, its walls taking on a measured flare out to a domed rim while canting forward dynamically. Said walls surround a capacious chamber and offer comfort in the hand thanks to its easy contours. The stummel here has been dressed in one of Cavicchi's excellent sandblasts and stained an inky black, Claudio's talent for shaping to the grain showcased in the wonderful ring grain that cascades down the bowl.