Rossi: Mezzanotte (8824) (6mm) Tobacco Pipe

Embodying Rossi's imaginative approach to traditional shapes, the "8824" is, in essence, a bent Lumberman — interpreting the pipe chart standard through a more playfully dramatic lens. The stummel remains rooted in tradition, with the elongated, oval shank giving way to a tall, tapered, Brandy-esque bowl. The aforementioned shank is broad and robust, yet serves to place much of the visual weight on the towering, deep-chambered bowl up front, and it further accentuates the bowl's powerful presence in profile. The abbreviated saddle stem displays a gentle bend, its subtle downturn emphasizing the bowl's prominent heel and providing excellent balance to allow for more comfortable clenching.

Introduced in 2023, Rossi's Mezzanotte line is a no-nonsense series that prioritizes timeless traditionalism and a conservative presentation that draws focus to this pipe's line and form. Marked by a dark stain and rugged rustication, the Mezzanotte series appropriately translates to "Midnight" in Italian and offers just the right amount of texture in hand. It remains balanced between traditional Italian and English pipe making styles — the rustication calling to mind the dramatic, extra-craggy finishes often seen throughout Italian pipe making, but the lighter depth hewing closer to the stately English aesthetic — with the dark palette and grooved surface hiding any handling marks this piece might pick up over the years.