"La Pipaccia" Smooth Bent Egg with Silver (L1) (C) (14) Tobacco Pipe

Giancarlo Guidi founded Ser Jacopo in 1982 after leaving Mastro de Paja. Through Ser Jacopo, Guidi established his own unique aesthetic as a part of the southern Italian Pesaro style. He set himself apart from the northern Italian neoclassic style with a stark divergence from Anglo-French shaping and finish traditions, a maximalist style, and overt references to modern art. Ser Jacopo's motto can be found stamped onto their pipes in Latin: "Per Aspera ad Astra," which means "Through Hardship to the Stars." The phrase symbolizes the importance of hard work in achieving great things and is a testament to the brand's commitment to crafting high quality smoking pieces.

This bent Egg from Ser Jacopo is a sinuous, forward-urging piece. A deep slant to the bowl's front wall combined with its forward cant and uplifted heel makes the fore-facing rim appear to surge ahead of the rest of the pipe. This effect balances out the shank and stem's dramatic upward swing and the smart bend to the saddle stem, which allows for easy jaw hanging. With the silver accenting the junction, the briar forming the majority of the stem's base, and the acrylic bit and shoulders, Ser Jacopo has affected the appearance of a double spigot mount. In reality, the silver pieces only embellish the outside of the stem and shank junction, and what appears to be a second acrylic spigot mount is just the top of the stem and doesn't come apart. All of these masterful visual cues also make the shank appear to be longer than it actually is, further balancing the pipe's appearance. A rich auburn stain dresses the smooth stummel, crystallizing sharply defined grain throughout.