Rinaldo: Sahara Bent Dublin (YYY) (Titania) Tobacco Pipe

Ever since they were teenagers, brothers Elio and Guido Rinaldo have been honing their skills as pipe makers, with the two getting their start working for Mastro de Paja in 1974: the brand's bold, Pesaro-style influence still visible in their work today. In 1987, the two brothers would establish the Rinaldo brand, with each pipe being handcrafted by Elio and Guido themselves. Denoted by Rinaldo's Titania grade, this bent Dublin is an exceptionally hearty interpretation. The bowl is defined by a broad, plump base, its thick walls rising from the rounded heel and then flaring outward as they start to reach the sloped rim, creating a curvaceous figure that contours well to the hand. A muscular shank lifts out of the transition from the bowl and pairs to a downturned saddle stem of coffee-hued acrylic. Rinaldo's Sahara finish dresses the stummel in a dark, earthy sandblast, revealing rippling growth rings traveling up the bowl, with the rim and nomenclature panel wearing a light, smooth stain