Ser Jacopo: Gem Series Fiammata Smooth (Rubino) Bent Dublin Tobacco Pipe

Ser Jacopo was founded in 1982 by legendary pipe maker Giancarlo Guidi. The workshop cultivated their signature Pesaro style, which delights in dramatic flourishes and whimsical stylings, even more so than the already playful Italian tradition. Sadly, Guidi passed away in 2012, but Ser Jacopo carries on his legacy. The Gem Series consists of the most outstanding pipes at Ser Jacopo, displaying incredible shaping, stunning grain, and an abundance of classic Pesaro charm. Moreover, the series has an internal grading system to denote quality that ascends in order from Smeraldo ("Emerald"), Granato ("Garnet"), Zaffiro ("Sapphire"), and Rubino ("Ruby"), to Brillante ("Diamond").

This bent Dublin has earned the workshop's Rubino grade, and, though it's not stamped as such, boasts proportions in line with the brand's Maxima series. Coming in at nearly seven inches long, the impressive reach of this piece lends it an imposing presence, both in hand or on a pipe rack. A wide transition leaves plenty of room to drape a digit before giving way to a comparatively short, ovoid shank with a compressed look and impressive breadth from the smoker's perspective. This shank pairs to a sleek and lengthy saddle stem of black acrylic, its slender outline comprising a gentle arc through the bit: lending a lovely, poised look to the pipe and offering a more comfortable smoking posture. Up front, the bowl stands on a sweeping heel, its walls flaring out dramatically in their own ovoid shape, with plenty of expanded breadth displayed across the fore and aft of the plump, inflated rim. Dressed in a warm, rich stain and smooth finish, the bowl is wrapped with dense flame and straight grain, while the rim is laden with ample birdseye.