Rinaldo: Lithos Bent Dublin (YY) Tobacco Pipe

This bent Dublin from Rinaldo showcases the Italian workshop's whimsical shaping style. The bowl flares from its narrow, pronounced heel to its broad rim, which here favors the fore over the aft side, creating a rather distinctive, asymmetrical silhouette. Coming out of the low-set transition, the slender shank curls upward and marries a steeply curved half-saddle stem, both of which work in tandem to produce a striking S-curve that encourages a comfortable smoking posture and adds a touch of sinuosity to the composition. A ruby-tinged rendition of the Lithos rustication dresses the stummel and provides plenty of stimulating texture for the fingers to explore, save for the rim and a trim band around the shank end, which are both left smooth for a touch of tactile contrast.