Claudio Cavicchi: Smooth Bent Brandy (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 Brandy is a rather compact piece that is yet possessed of a defined neoclassical styling, with a wide transition giving way to a short shank out back. This shank tapers subtly as it lifts, meeting 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 heel and boasts a low-set waist, with this waist marking the start of sleekly tapering walls that rise to a flat, smooth rim. 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.