Claudio Cavicchi: Black Sandblasted Bent Billiard 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 ensure that his pipes are not only beautiful, but expertly shaped and precisely drilled, and all of these are the case with this bent Billiard. The bowl here is the center of the visual weight, a position it assumes without hesitation as it stands at the fore from atop a muscular heel, growing a low-set waist that makes for a substantial feel in hand. From this waist, the walls take on a slight taper through their near cylindrical rise to the smooth rim, canting forward gently and offering plenty of insulation for the capacious chamber held within. The transition is wide, and it pairs the bowl to a comparatively slim shank that lifts and tapers subtly as it reaches toward a sleek saddle stem of black acrylic, one that's been smartly curved at the bit to offer a comfortable smoking posture. The stummel here has been dressed in one of Cavicchi's excellent sandblasts and stained an inky black, Claudio's talent for shaping to the grain showcased in the wonderful ring grain that cascades down the bowl, complete with streaks of visible flame for added intrigue.