Claudio Cavicchi: Black Sandblasted Bent Pot 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. A stout take on the bent Pot, this piece from the Italian artisan is a handsome one that showcases a fairly unique feature among Cavicchi's other takes on the shape: a paneled, squared-off shank. The transition here is wide, with ample space to drape a digit, and it gives way to this shank, which presents with an unflinchingly geometrical outline and a slight lift throughout its travel to the saddle stem. This stem's sleek bit pushes further visual emphasis onto the stummel, and its demure downturn at the end lends this pipe a more comfortable smoking posture. Up front, the bowl stands on a rounded heel and grows thick, gently flaring, forward-canting walls that rise up to a subtly rounded rim, here overlooking a capacious chamber. Dressed in a crisp, inky sandblast, the stummel showcases handsome grain, with rippling growth rings cascading down the walls of the bowl.