la Biota Sandblasted Panel Dublin Sitter Handmade Briar Pipe, New

About this pipe:

A graduate of Italy’s prestigious Academia della Pipa, Michele Sottocasa has been making pipes for over a decade under the la Biota name. Prior to becoming a pipe-maker, Sottocasa trained and worked as a designer and art director, and la Biota pipes continue this drive towards a distinct aesthetic vision. The name, “la Biota,” originally derives from ecology, and symbolizes the deep connection between humans and nature—a connection well represented by the handmade tobacco pipe.

It’s been a good while since we last had a fresh batch of Michele Sottocasa’s pipes, but he has been very busy and, as a vendor, one must appreciate the old adage that “good things come to those who wait.” And, indeed, MBSD Pipes’ latest la Biota offerings are very good.

In the case of this one, it’s a very interesting example of some of the new avenues Sottocasa has been taking recently, while still staying true to his hallmark, ecological inspirations. Taking the form of a stout, paneled Dublin sitter, its deep, J.T.Cooke-esque sandblast and obsidian finish has it look like a promontory erupting out of the earth, with its layers of ring grain only furthering that rocky aesthetic. A dash of color comes in only at the very end, in this instance, by way of a black and crimson cumberland stem.

Details:

Length: 5.9″ / 149.8mm

Bowl Width: 0.71″ / 18.03mm

Bowl Depth: 1.60″/ 40.64mm

Weight: 1.6oz / 46g