Talamona L'Artigiano Panelled Billiard 120

• Overall Length: 139mm
• Overall Height: 62mm
• Bowl Height: 47mm
• Bowl Width: 42mm
• Bore: 20mm
• Filter: None
• Weight: 50g
• Pipe Bag Included

There's something rather satisfying about a pipe that looks different depending on which way it's turned. The Talamona L'Artigiano 120 is a fine example. At first glance, it's a handsome bent billiard, but the bowl has been shaped into distinct panels, giving it a more sculpted appearance than its round-bowled relatives.

The dark, polished briar has a rich, almost espresso-coloured finish, with reddish grain appearing beneath the surface. Light catches the edges of the panels while the flatter faces show off the wood's natural variations. It's a clever bit of shaping that makes an otherwise familiar design considerably more interesting.

Then there's that amber-coloured band. A small detail, certainly, but its honey-yellow marbling brings a welcome splash of colour between the dark briar and glossy black stem. The gentle bend of the mouthpiece completes a comfortable-looking arrangement.

Talamona has been associated with Italian pipe making since the 1970s, when Cesare Talamona established the name in the Varese area. The brand later passed into the hands of pipe maker Paolo Croci, who continued its tradition of distinctive briar pipes.

A good panelled bowl deserves to be turned over and examined. This one rewards the effort.