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. 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. Claudio Cavicchi presents a fairly lightweight Dublin with this rendition, the bowl flaring toward a broad, plateau-crowned rim, with a firm, Italian-styled heel asserting prominence as well. The shank and stem here take on a sleek, consistent taper from transition to button, the sloping angle pushing the visual weight onto the bowl. Said bowl is thick and robust, coming in at nearly two inches tall and more than an inch and a half in breadth, making for a reassuring feel in hand. A recipient of three of Cavicchi's "C" stamps, this bent Dublin presents beautiful flame grain around the entirety of the bowl, with birdseye seen peeking through the rim's plateau: all beneath Cavicchi's iconic honey-blonde stain..