Claudio Cavicchi: Smooth Billiard (CCC) 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 Billiard is a rather classic rendition of the timeless shape, though one which has been crafted with thoroughly neoclassical dimensions. The full-bodied bowl here offers a wealth of substance in the hand, with ample curvature for comfort, and its walls take on a sleek bit of taper toward a smooth rim. A wide transition gives way to a comparatively sleek stretch of tapering shank and stem, the pairing pushing further visual weight onto the bowl. Dressed in one of Cavicchi's iconic honey-blonde finishes and graded three C's out of five, the bowl is wrapped in dense flame grain and the rim and underside are draped with birdseye.