Savinelli Autograph: Autograph Sandblasted Freehand Tobacco Pipe

Savinelli's Autograph line of pipes always surprises me with their imaginative shaping, a sure result of the Italian marque's allowing for singular artisans to craft each piece. This Freehand is, to me, one of the most exciting of its kind, as it is both dramatically stylized and also deceptively simple. The saddle stem is fitted with a bulbous expansion ring that flares from a pinched point and meets a horn-like acrylic mount at the shank end. Said shank is, itself, quite trim, and the transition it leads to a steeply angled parabola, kicking the mouthpiece high for a comfortable smoking posture. Of course, the most visually arresting element of this pipe is the sweeping ridgeline that runs from the rear of the shank's acrylic fitment to the fore of the bowl before curving inward slightly and rising straight up to the rim, contrasting the aft side's arc to the rim. The flanks of this pipe are each bowed comfortably, and the effect of the ridge is such that the shape is equal parts soft and fluid, while still being rigid and structured. Dressed in a textural auburn sandblast, the stummel is handsome and reveals some lovely grain, the hues on display contrasted by the lightly stained smooth rim.