Smooth Bent Dublin with Olivewood (CCCC) Tobacco Pipe

Italian artisan Claudio Cavicchi boasts over 50 years of pipe-making experience and possesses an uncanny talent for bringing out the very best from a block of briar. His portfolio is full of evocative interpretations of classic shapes, and he is known by many artisans to have some of the best grain in the world, with even his non-graded pipes rivaling the top-tier pieces of other workshops. Having received an impressive four-C grade, this bent Dublin is a lovely piece from the seasoned artisan.

As a whole, the bowl tilts forward ever so slightly, but this forward cant is dramatized by the swelling fore wall, which conforms nicely to the contours of the palm. The heel comes to a crisp point, which introduces an element of angularity to the composition. Out back, a low-set, tight-knit transition introduces a vaulting shank-and-stem arrangement. The shank face is accentuated by a raised ring, as are the shoulders of the saddle stem, and together they create a pleasing visual rhythm. The deep bend of the long stem promotes a comfortable smoking posture, and the pipe's compact dimensions allow it to be clenched and smoked on the go. Tight streaks of flame grain adorn the walls of the bowl, earning this pipe its high grade, no doubt, while the rim wears a craggy crown of plateau for a pop of rugged contrast.