Il Cerchio: Smooth Volcano Tobacco Pipe

Meaning "The Circle" in Italian, Il Cerchio pipes are handmade by Angelo Del Prete, who began crafting pipes in 2018 to broaden the selection of briars he offered at his own tobacco shop. His portfolio runs the gamut from old-school Anglo-French classics to more eclectic designs, with this Volcano being a fine example of the latter. A highly sculptural design, the piece boasts a squat, full-bodied bowl that stands atop a wide, curved heel encircled by a pronounced ridgeline. Above that ridge, the bowl's walls taper to a taut, concave rim whose angular fore and aft furthers the shape's geometric motif. The aforementioned heel sweeps high at the bowl's fore and lends a forward-ebbing momentum to the shape's profile, while additionally offering a glimpse of the underside's sea of birdseye. An upturned shank brings up the pipe's rear and continues the heel's ridgeline, which wraps the outcropping's lower flanks and produces a face that's dramatically lopsided. The shank and stem's vertical posture balances the visual weight of the bowl and promotes a comfortable smoking posture, all while keeping the overall form relatively compact. A rich auburn finish completes the ensemble and highlights fine strands of flame grain across the bowl's flanks and a dense constellation of birdseye throughout the pipe's underside.