Il Duca: Partially Sandblasted Bent Dublin with Bamboo (B) Tobacco Pipe

Max Rimensi, the man behind Il Duca pipes, is one of the most versatile pipe makers working today, with a portfolio that ranges from classic shapes to highly organic Freehand pieces. Regardless of the shape, Rimensi's work is unified by stunning finishes, precise engineering, and elegant stem work, all of which contribute to form a smoking instrument of exceptional quality.

Eye-catching and boldly presented, this bent Dublin showcases Rimensi's creative style and penchant for the organic. The form's characteristic flared rim is here quite broad and expands rapidly from a comparatively narrow heel, fanning outward and almost threatening to spill over at the fore and aft sides of the bowl. The trim stem is extended by three knuckles of weathered-looking bamboo that curl and bend at crooked angels before giving way to a slender stem of jet-black vulcanite. The bamboo harmonizes in color with the dark sandblast that envelopes the stummel and provides a jagged asymmetry to the composition in profile that nicely mirrors the rim's organic undulation. The aforementioned sandblast coaxes out tight stacks of growth rings across the flanks of the bowl, while the rim remains smooth, save for a patch of natural plateau at its fore side, and displays an abundance of birdseye underneath an olive-colored stain.