Il Duca: Sandblasted Fig (B) Tobacco Pipe

Max Rimensi, known as Il Duca, has been honing his craftsmanship since the early 1990s, starting at just 14 years old. The name "Il Duca" pays homage to the historical rulers of his hometown, Ferrara, Italy. Rimensi's work is renowned for its elegance, favoring slender shapes that range from traditional Anglo-French designs to unconventional Freehands. Known for his versatility, Il Duca effortlessly navigates various design schools, infusing his portfolio with a contemporary aesthetic through unique takes on classic shapes and fine accent work. The rarely seen Fig shape is typically defined by an Acorn-like bowl with walls that flare upward to a round, inflated rim, complete with a spur-like heel. Il Duca oriented the spur underneath the transition, accentuating the composition's forward-ebbing posture. This momentum begins with the gently rounded bowl, which sits on an expressively lifted heel, forming a shape that comfortably fits the hand. Rising from an acute transition a flaring shank seamlessly transitions to a slender stem. The stummel is sandblasted, dressed in a handsome contrast stain that highlights specks of birdseye along the rim, and rippling ring grain rising up the bowl's flanks.