Il Duca: Partially Sandblasted Bent Bulldog (B) Tobacco Pipe

While Max Rimensi of Il Duca's portfolio includes many bent Bulldog shapes, this particular piece is a bit of an anomaly: It's rendered from briar, not morta, which is far more frequently seen from the skilled Italian carver.

The low-slung, broad-rimmed bowl is more rounded than typical Anglo-French versions, with the lifting heel and domed upper half of the bowl demarcated by a smooth, trim ring of lightly stained briar. Displaying a forward-urging profile along with a gradually lifting diamond shank and stem, this piece hints at the Eskimo design thanks to the squat bowl and high-set transition to the graceful, streamlined silhouette in back. The easy curvature and supple lines, along with a flowing rhythm nod to Danish influences, as does the dark, low-profile sandblast, save for the smooth briar wrapping the bowl, in this dynamic, minimalist pipe.