Claudio Cavicchi: Smooth Bent Egg (CCC) 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. This bent Egg is a striking piece from the artisan, assuming a look that's reminiscent of both the Oom Paul and the Cavalier thanks to its stylized shank. Said shank lifts sharply out of a tight transition, becoming almost vertical before terminating above the edge of the rim and pairing to a smartly bent saddle stem of black acrylic. The junction here is unique, as the edges of the shank extend slightly, surrounding the base of the stem and allowing it to nestle, creating a cohesive, stepped look that balances some of the composition's visual weight. Additionally, the shank extends slightly through the underside, descending below the heel and forming a subtle, forward-facing spur for a look that stylistically separates the bowl from the shank. Up front, the bowl stands on a rounded heel and grows plump, charmingly rounded walls toward a mid-set waistline, before they make an easy, forward-urging taper to the softly undulating rim. Dressed in one of Cavicchi's iconic honey-blonde finishes and graded three C's out of five, the shank is lined with cross grain and the bowl is surrounded by flickering streaks of flame, with birdseye covering the underside.