Ser Jacopo: Smeraldo Fiammata Imago Smooth Dublin (B) Tobacco Pipe

Ser Jacopo's Gem Series consists of the Pesaro workshop's most superlative pipes: those that display exceptional grain and shaping, with several internal gradings available within the line itself. This particular Dublin example is of the Smeraldo ("Emerald") grade, featuring an emerald colored accent inlaid into shank end, and a striking, playful construction. This is a rather special pipe from an already special series, as it is one of very few straight pipes that we've seen as a member of this superlative line. Not only is this piece part of the Gem series, but it also belongs to the Italian workshop's Imago series, denoting its singular arrangement of shank and stem. Said shank and stem comprise an even taper from the wide transition to the button that's interrupted only by its junction: a pair of matching silver accents that flank a bit of negative space. These matching accents define the Imago line and draw some of the visual weight here away from the bowl. Said bowl sits atop a firm heel and flattened underside, its lower portion surrounded by an octet of panels which makes the fore a touch more rigid. The upper bowl, however, is formed in the way one would expect from a Dublin, flaring gently and smoothly to its rim, the two areas separated by a trim, crisp beadline while the bowl as a whole takes on a dynamic forward cant. This is a much more svelte and lightweight pipe than we'd come to expect from Ser Jacopo, and its slightly more classic elements combine with this to create a composition that's full of charm. Dressed in a warm, natural stain, this Fiammata graded pipe showcases dense striations of flickering flame grain through the shank and around the bowl, framed by birdseye at the top and underside.