Il Duca: Partially Sandblasted Rhodesian (B) Tobacco Pipe

Based in Ferrara, Italy, Massimiliano Rimensi has carved pipes for over 30 years under Il Duca name, developing a unique style that incorporates ideas from Danish and Italian traditions. This pipe's crisp sandblast and smooth rim call to mind Danish finishing cues, but the proportions and appointment, however, are all Italian. This Rhodesian is a perfect fusion, featuring an exaggerated, domed rim and tapered lower bowl paired to a sleek oval shank, it's a design that's reminiscent of Tom Eltang's Eskimo shape that Rimensi has refined across many iterations, an instantly recognizable Il Duca pipe. The rim is smooth and stained a rich chestnut hue, revealing a crown of swirling birdseye atop the mellow sandblast that dresses the rest of the pipe. This piece is a tour de force in tasteful contrast.