Sandblasted Cherrywood with Ebonite Stem (Two Jellyfish) Tobacco Pipe

Ser Jacopo alum Simone Gaudenzi is well-trained in the Pesaro school of pipe making, which emphasizes clean lines and panache in design. Today, Gaudenzi crafts Valbruna pipes in the small town of Gabicce Mare on the coast of the Adriatic Sea, which plays an important role in the company's nomenclature: per Adriatic legend, Valbruna is a lost, sunken city like Atlantis. Gaudenzi ages the briar for his pipes, which are produced in limited quantities. True to his maritime roots, he uses Jellyfish to identify levels of quality.

Gaudenzi awarded a pair of Jellyfish to this piece, an easily justified indication of how beautifully made this Cherrywood is. The lengthy base gives the stummel a conical appearance for an overall profile near that of a Volcano, especially given the short, dramatically upturned shank. The sandblast highlights the intersecting flame grain and growth rings that give the stummel an intriguing touch, and the dark stain matches well with the vulcanite of the generously bent, tapered stem that sticks out of the middle of the aft wall. It's a substantial piece at about one-fifth of a pound in weight, and it features some satisfyingly rugged texture thanks to the shallow patch of plateau on the heel.