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 ensure that his pipes are not only beautiful, but expertly shaped and precisely drilled, and all of these are the case with this Rhodesian. A playful, hearty take on the Rhodesian from Claudio Cavicchi, this rendition is one of many interpretations of the classic design from the esteemed Italian artisan. The bowl here is robust, with plenty of substance in hand, its sweeping heel supporting walls that flare boldly to a high-set waist marked with a single beadline. This beadline additionally denotes the shape's taper to the rim, and the entire structure is lent greater emphasis thanks to its jaunty bit of forward cant. A wide transition out back gives way to a rather slim shank that lifts subtly to meet a demurely curved stem of tapering black acrylic: poising this pipe for comfortable smoking. Dressed in one of Cavicchi's iconic honey-blonde stains, this CCCC-graded piece displays dense flame grain around the bowl that's striated with visible growth rings, while the rim and the top of the shank are awash with a wealth of birdseye.