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COMMENT:
Oftentimes, it's hard to justify why a king is the king, since it's almost never an earned title. Not in this case. This pipe is THE King, and I'll attempt to give you some of the reasons that prove that this pipe actually does deserve this prestigious and revered title. Let the speech commence (... roll of drums...):
- The pipe proves that a piece of briar can indeed be perfect and that a pipe maker, with the skill and experience, can translate it into a perfect pipe, both shape- and grain-wise.
- The shape is a complex combination of the variation of the Horn, called "Oliphant", and a panelled bowl and shank. The bowl is shaped into four different panels, varying in width to allow the shape to come through. The shank inherits the shape, gradually becoming square and tapered.
- The elegant short saddle mouthpiece is very slightly bent to complement the shape as well as give it the great balance it has.
- Unlike most pipes of this shape, the tobacco chamber is almost as upright and vertical as on a classic Billiard. This means that combustion difficulty normally associated with the Horn (and to a great degree, the Oliphant) is highly unlikely (if not impossible) to experience with this pipe.
- To add to the previous point, the draught hole is dead center (sideways) in the tobacco chamber and is perfectly centrally positioned. This is due to make combustion even easier and more effortless than an ordinary shape, with upright chamber walls.
- The grain is simply in a different league. The Cross Grain on two sides of the bowl is as uniform and pronounced as grain can be. On the other two sides, the Bird's Eye is simply mind-bogglingly compact and beautiful. Note also the gorgeous Cross Grain on the bowl rim.
- The balance of the pipe makes it a perfect candidate whether you prefer to clench on your pipes or hold them in your hand, or both.
All this and more makes the pipe THE King it is. The one single, overall proof that it's so unique is the fact that Tonino selected it out of hundreds and hundreds of his pipes to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of his pipe making career. Add to this the fact that it's not only a King, but a King E. Understandably, the pipe comes in a fabulous, fitted, first-class wooden presentation case, with a glass cover that prevents from obscuring the beauty of nature and the skill of a professional artisan to show off! |
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