Sandblasted Bent Apple with Horn Tobacco Pipe

In 2014, Angelo Del Prete took over a tobacco shop. However, the shop was lacking in high-quality pipes, so Del Prete decided to fix that problem himself and began his career as a pipe maker. Looking to expand his skillset, Del Prete visited and learned from two of Italy's most talented pipe makers, Max Rimensi of Il Duca and Davide Iafisco. Today, Del Prete has cultivated his own style, one with Italian roots but also inspired by Danish aesthetics. Del Prete prioritizes compositional harmony and deft engineering, which are represented by the Il Cerchio name, which means "the circle" and represents balance — from traditional shapes to inventive Freehands these aesthetic pillars define every Il Cerchio pipe.

This bent Apple by Il Cerchio displays Del Prete's talent for shaping curvaceous pipes. The robust Apple bowl is particularly plump at its sides, bulging outwards and standing out from the rest of the composition. However, the underside smoothly curves into the fore, creating a neat curvature that encourages a comprehensive flow with the shank. Said shank possesses a demure curvature, a direct counter to the bulbous shape of the bowl. Furthermore, the briar shank seamlessly flows into a horn accent, which flares at the shank end, causing the shank to arc downwards for a moment, a subtle anticipation of the stem's downward arc. Additionally, the flared shank end serves a practical purpose, housing a military mount, making the pipe easy to clean and always ensuring a tight tenon-and-mortise fit.

The shapely stummel is dressed in a deep sandblast, which particularly highlights the briar's craggy concentric growth rings on the bowl. The jet-black vulcanite stem complements the dark stain on the stummel, however, they are separated by the colorful striations on the horn mount, which are a blend of similar blacks and contrasting creams. Additionally, the chamfered rim is dressed in a ruby-hued smooth finish, a flourish we have seen before on other black sandblasted pipes by Il Cerchio such as this Drop, a fitting signature accent for a workshop called "the circle." Overall, the compositional choices for colors and textures point to Del Prete's careful consideration of shaping cues, as the most dramatic curves are rendered jagged by the sandblast while the subtle arcs presented in a smoother texture — a beautiful representation of aesthetic contrast.