Sandblasted Acorn Sitter (B) Tobacco Pipe

Massimiliano "Max" Rimensi began working with wood in his uncle's shop at age 14, giving him a fascination with carpentry that preceded the purchase of his first pipe. It was in that same shop that Max made his first pipe, the result of which didn't satisfy him but the process of which enthralled him. Though located in Occhiobello, southwest of Venice near Italy's Adriatic coast, Max's fanciful shapes take inspiration from all over, crafted with briar he lets dry for years before shaping.

Fittingly, this Acorn from Max has a rather dry sandblasted finish, with horizontal ridges ringing the bowl and a light golden brown stain with dark brown tendrils in between. The touch of the stummel is at once dry and gentle, almost like a finely ground stone more than dried wood. The bowl is very muscular with an inflated rim, and the shank is upturned moderately with a slight outward flare toward the end. The stem is simple black vulcanite, lightly bent in a long arc before reaching a pronounced bit. Max also saw fit to remove a short length of briar to give this Acorn a flat heel, allowing it to sit upright on a flat surface with ease. It's a uniquely shaped, uniquely imagined take on the classic shape, and one that will no doubt satisfy any fan of Acorns or Sitters.