Claudio Cavicchi: Smooth Cavalier (CCCC) Tobacco Pipe

Traditionally speaking, the Cavalier is more characterized by its engineering rather than its exact shape, much like a reverse Calabash, meaning it can feature a variety of bowl shapes. Said bowl is fitted to a shank that extends beyond the heel, visually separating those two elements, and a functional Cavalier is one whose airway is drilled all the way through that shank, covered by a cap that can be removed to drain excess moisture. Such a construction does make for a distinct aesthetic, though, and many carvers enjoy fashioning pipes that emulate the classic Cavalier look, but without that moisture cap. This is one such piece, with a robust, forward-urging, Dublin bowl dominating the profile, seemingly growing out of the near-vertical shank for a deeply bent profile that balances this pipe's hearty proportions. It's all dressed in one of the Italian artisan's honey-blonde stains, revealing stunning grain definition, with a rugged stretch of plateau along the rim lending textural contrast. Typical of Claudio's work, this CCCC-graded piece is a grain-lover's dream, with the flanks and fore displaying vivid flame grain.