Ser Jacopo: **Insanus Spongia Rusticated (9) (R2) (D) Tobacco Pipe

Latin for "mad" or "insane," Ser Jacopo's Insanus series features some of the Italian workshop's most unique offerings, continually pushing the boundaries of pipe engineering and causing pipe smokers to carefully analyze each piece to figure out how such designs are even possible. This Freehand example looks as if two acorns were fused together in the wild to be used as a smoking instrument. It not only passes a pipe cleaner but it also sits stably on flat surfaces, in case you were looking for a desk pipe that will surely turn some heads. Meanwhile, the ruggedness of the Spongia rustication offers plenty of rich texture to keep your fingers busy. Along with its bold, striking appearance, the stem can actually fit into either the bowl or mortise — both having been drilled to the same diameter. Definitely the work of a madman with a penchant for extraordinary pipe design and a perfect piece for the Insanus line.