Savinelli Autograph: Autograph Smooth Bent Dublin (8) (6mm) Tobacco Pipe

Savinelli's Autograph is the Italian marque's limited-production, handmade series, utilizing specially aged extra-extra plateau briar and being crafted by only three of the brand's most experienced carvers. From start to finish, the process of crafting a single one of these pipes is handled by a single one of these veteran craftsmen, the series providing them with design freedom and allowing them to express their personal creativity. This bent Dublin is a dramatic, Scoop-like iteration of the shape that boasts some striking, Freehand-style detail throughout its construction. At just under six and a half inches long, this is no compact pipe, and much of this length is thanks to the shank-and-stem combination. The shank itself lifts out of a wide transition and extends to meet a demurely curved saddle stem of eye-catching burgundy acrylic, creating a comfortable smoking posture while possessed of a gracile stature that balances the visual weight of the pipe well. Up front, the bowl stands atop a sweeping heel and flares out to a broad rim, though its outline is slightly reminiscent of the Cobra, thanks to the ridge that outlines the rim and frames the aft-side walls: offering a broad, rather squat look that's infused with ample dynamism and an aerodynamic aesthetic. Dressed in a light, smooth finish, there's plenty of grain to appreciate here, with ample flame surrounding the bowl and shank.