Il Duca: Sandblasted Acorn (B) Tobacco Pipe

Max Riminsi's precise shaping and finishing skills are richly actualized in this Acorn. The Italian carver easily incorporates Danish, Italian, or Anglo-French shaping cues into his artistry, often contemporizing them in the process. This organic piece is a fine example of his talents, with the bulbous bowl's flaring, sloping, and high-waisted rim displaying the supple roundness of Danish design. A quick taper downward sees the shape's characteristic heel spur, which the carver has deftly configured, allowing this piece to sit upright. A hint of Italian neoclassicism is also a factor, as the robust, towering bowl dominates the form, leaning back toward the stem and hanging over the tucked transition. A far more slender and subtly flaring shank is then topped by one of Max's hand-cut, vulcanite stems. The stummel is handsomely rendered in one of his signature, contrast-stained sandblasts, the rustic hues highlighting both vertical grain and ripples of growth rings, with little clusters of birdseye seen freckling the rim. This piece is lightweight, comfortable in hand and another quite evident showing of why Il Duca pipes are sought by fans from all over the world.