Claudio Cavicchi: Smooth Rhodesian (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 expertly shaped and precisely drilled. Though we've received a number of different interpretations of the Rhodesian from Cavicchi, this particular iteration is his most iconic take on the form, one that emphasizes the presence of the bowl to a remarkable degree. Said bowl sits atop a sweeping heel and embodies a disc-like look that expands dramatically from the heel to a pair of beadlines at its mid-set waist, these lines marking the start of a swift taper toward a flat rim. The breadth of the bowl here is impressive, coming in over two inches wide, a good bit wider than the bowl is tall: immediately pulling the eyes toward the front of this pipe. A wide transition here gives way to a comparatively slender, extended stretch of round shank which meets a sleek saddle stem of jet-black acrylic, the aft side's more understated demeanor keeping the attention fully on the bowl. Dressed in one of Cavicchi's iconic honey-blonde stains, this pipe has earned the carver's CCCC-grade, and it showcases expansive seas of birdseye across the rim and underside of the bowl.