Claudio Cavicchi: Smooth Bent Apple with Black Palm (CCCC) 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 also expertly shaped and precisely drilled. This bent Apple is a hearty and robust pipe, complete with ample thickness throughout its unabashedly bowl-forward construction. Said bowl stands on a rounded heel and boasts plenty of curvature through its walls as they make a subtle arc to the rim, providing ample presence in the hand and nicely insulating the chamber thanks to its robust build. The transition out back is wide, and it gives way to a tall hank whose top is rounded, while the underside is framed with a pair of ridges that lends this pipe some firm structure in profile. A broad accent of black palm is fitted to the end of the shank and acts as the junction to a black acrylic saddle stem possessed of a demure downturn at the bit. Dressed in one of Cavicchi's iconic honey-blonde stains, this pipe has earned the carver's CCCC-grade, and it showcases a wealth of handsome grain, with contrast offered by the rim's vibrant, ruby-toned stain.