Claudio Cavicchi: Smooth Bent Dublin (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. His over 50 years of experience ensures that his pipes are not only beautiful, but expertly shaped and precisely drilled. This bent Dublin is a fluidly curved piece from the Italian artisan, its silhouette creating a slight, rounded point near the heel and drawing the eye toward the bowl. A wide transition gives way to a tapering shank that lifts and forms a seamless junction with a slim saddle stem of demurely curved black acrylic. Up front, the bowl stands atop its rounded heel, the walls taking on a measured flare out to a broad, domed rim. Said walls surround a capacious chamber and offer comfort in the hand thanks to its easy contours. 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, while the rim and underside are peppered with birdseye.