Smooth Bent Apple (CCC) Tobacco Pipe

Claudio Cavicchi is truly a master of his craft, and his ability to coax the best possible grain out of every piece of briar will always astound me. His over 50 years of experience ensures that his pipes are not only beautiful, but expertly shaped and precisely drilled. With a smoothly flowing, fluid look about its entire construction, this bent Apple from the Italian master exists at the intersection of its namesake, the Egg, and the Acorn. The shank and stem both are possessed of a gentle sinuousness, the shank lifting slightly out of a wide transition and tapering gently toward a similarly diminishing stem, culminating in an understated downturn that the eye naturally wants to follow. The heel is lifted a touch, sweeping upward readily out of the underside and defining the arc of the fore wall on its path toward the rim. There's ample curvature to appreciate through the bowl itself, the waistline set at a slight angle, high at the aft, lower at the fore, making this pipe an excellent companion for extended stays in the hand. Dressing the stummel here is Cavicchi's most iconic, honey-blonde stain, highlighting streaks of flame grain through the shank and around the bowl, while the top and underside are both peppered with bountiful birdseye: earning this pipe a grade of three "C"s out of five.