Il Duca: Sandblasted Natural Apple (B) Tobacco Pipe

Max Rimensi, the man behind Il Duca pipes, is an Italian artisan with an expansive and impressive portfolio that reflects his myriad of influences and creative spirit. He fashions anything and everything, from wildly organic designs to more subdued shape-chart standards, but all of his pipes are united by precise shaping, stylish finishes, and solid engineering. This Apple is a fine example of Rimensi's craftsmanship, and it pairs a plump, rounded bowl to a sleek stretch of shank and stem. The shank broadens across its length to a wide, disk-like face, its expansion drawing the eye to the emerald-hued accent of brindled vulcanite that begins the slender stem's taper. The overall design is quite compact in terms of length, measuring less than five inches from end to end, making it ideal for on-the-go smoking and easy pocket-carry. It's presented in crisp, virgin sandblast, which draws out rippling waves of grain across the flanks of the bowl and allows for the natural tans, browns, and golds of patina to accrue over time and with use.