Il Duca: Sandblasted Bent Dublin Sitter with Silver (B) Tobacco Pipe

Max Rimensi, the man behind Il Duca pipes, is a versatile carver with a wide range of creative influences. He's well know for fluctuating between various schools of design and incorporating a unique mixture of shaping cues into his work. His shapes are always creative, whether he's fashioning a modernized rendition of a pipe-chart standard or something completely whimsical and organic. This bent Dublin hews closer to his organic sensibilities, and it's a stunning testament to Rimensi's keen eye for balance and finishes.

The bowl possesses a broad, flaring rim that cusps at the fore with a subtly raised point that works in tandem with sweeping fore to give the overall composition a driving sense of momentum. From the rim, the bowl tapers gradually to the flattened heel just below the transition. The taper and position of the heel lend the bowl a subtle curvature across its fore, while the heel's flattened underside enables the piece to sit sturdily without the aid of a stand. The transition gives way to a curling oval shank that broadens subtly toward the arcing, tapered stem of jet-black vulcanite. The shank-and-stem arrangement gives the composition a touch of sinuosity in profile and promotes a comfortable smoking posture. A sterling silver accent on the shank face adds a dose of flash to the sandy hues of the light-depth, contrast-stained sandblast that dresses the stummel. Said finish draws out rippling waves of growth rings across the flanks of the bowl and enhances the naturalistic aesthetic of the overall composition.