Claudio Cavicchi: Brown Sandblasted Bent Brandy 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 also expertly shaped and precisely drilled. A fluidly curved take on the timeless bent Brandy shape, this pipe is poised for comfortable hands-free smoking and displays a handsomely sinuous silhouette. The transition is wide enough to drape a digit, and it gives way to a rather short, lifting shank that tapers softly to meet a similarly tapering stem of smartly curved black acrylic. This arcing combination balances the bowl as it stands on a muscular heel, its walls making an upright taper to the flat rim while offering a wealth of supple curvature to appreciate in hand. The stummel here has been dressed in one of Cavicchi's excellent sandblasts and stained a rich auburn, Claudio's talent for shaping to the grain showcased in the rippling growth rings that cascade down the bowl.