| It's tough not to love Italian pipes. | | | | center of Italian pipe making and the |
| Whether from Pesaro or the area around | | | | second hotbed of pipe development during |
| Como, north of Milan, Italian pipe | | | | the 1960s and 1970s. Though much of it |
| makers have a sense of flair and | | | | can be traced to the Castello factory in |
| elegance that sets them apart in the | | | | Cucciago, influence and history of pipe |
| pipemaking world. This update spans | | | | making in this region is more widely |
| those two major Italian pipe making | | | | distributed and indirect than in Pesaro. |
| regions, with Ser Jacopo and Rinaldo | | | | Certainly, Carlo Scotti's Castello |
| from Pesaro and Ardor, Radice and | | | | deserves the reputation it has for being |
| Brebbia all from near Como. Though there | | | | the first maker of upper-end, high-grade |
| is a neoclassical streak in almost all | | | | pipes in the region, beginning in 1947. |
| Italian pipes, there are considerable | | | | Further, both Luigi Radice and Pepino |
| stylistic differences between the two | | | | Ascorti started their careers with |
| regions. | | | | Castello in the 1950s. They later (1969) |
| The Pesaro style, or school, is most | | | | formed Caminetto, which is now run by |
| closely associated with Mastro de Paja | | | | Roberto Ascorti, son of Pepino. Luigi |
| and Ser Jacopo and the man behind both | | | | Radice created the Radice brand in 1980 |
| companies-- Giancarlo Guidi, who | | | | and parted ways with Pepino. The second |
| currently runs Ser Jacopo, but | | | | piece of the story lies with Brebbia and |
| previously headed up the pipemaking team | | | | Savinelli. The Brebbia factory (or |
| at Mastro de Paja. According to Guidi | | | | rather the factory that later became the |
| and others, the Pesaro school was | | | | Brebbia factory) was founded by Achille |
| created in the 1960s and 1970s by small | | | | Savinelli and Enea Buzzi, originally to |
| groups of local craftsmen who then | | | | supply pipes to the Savinelli shop in |
| splintered off into the various brands. | | | | Milan. Later (in the early 1950s), |
| The cross-pollination of ideas generated | | | | Savinelli opened its own factory and the |
| during the early years established the | | | | Brebbia name was adopted. Brebbia and |
| Pesaro school and that exchange of ideas | | | | Savinelli are different from every other |
| continues today. Il Ceppo and Mastro de | | | | maker mentioned herein in that their |
| Paja are the oldest brands from the area | | | | culture is that of a factory, not a |
| that still make pipes, with Guidi | | | | workshop. Brebbia produces about 40,000 |
| splitting off from Mastro de Paja in | | | | pipes annually, whereas, for comparison, |
| 1982 to found Ser Jacopo. Georgio | | | | Radice and his two sons produce less |
| Imperatori, who founded Il Ceppo, worked | | | | than 2000 pipes annually, usually |
| with Giancarlo Guidi in the very early | | | | between 1500 and 1800. Brebbia's focus |
| Pesaro school days, before Guidi founded | | | | has always been manufacturing |
| Mastro de Paja. Similarly, Bruto Sordini | | | | efficiency-- being able to bring a great |
| of Don Carlos got his start under Guidi | | | | pipe to the market at a reasonable |
| at Mastro de Paja. Many of the newer | | | | price-- over small scale artisanship. |
| Italian brands, such as Rinaldo and | | | | The other great pipemaker in northern |
| L'Anatra, also have close ties to one of | | | | Italy also started as a factory: Ardor, |
| the older companies. | | | | perhaps somewhat influenced by the |
| The Pesaro School is most traditionally | | | | success of Castello, moved their |
| neoclassical. Essentially, that means | | | | production from machine made, |
| that they took classic English shapes-- | | | | mass-produced pipes to meticulously |
| Billiards, Dublins, Bulldogs etc-- and | | | | crafted, hand-made pipes during the |
| recreated them in new and interesting | | | | 1960s under Angelo and Dorelio Rovera. |
| ways. Shapes are in many cases | | | | Indeed, Giancarlo Guidi argues that this |
| determined by the grain-- certainly not | | | | is the great difference between the pipe |
| to the degree that many Danish, German | | | | making culture in the Como region versus |
| and American pipes are-- but unlike most | | | | that in Pesaro. He argues that the |
| English pipes (especially in years | | | | Pesaro tradition has always been one of |
| past), the Pesaro school certainly | | | | small craftsmen, while the tradition to |
| considers grain in the making of their | | | | the north is one of manufacturing. While |
| pipes. Looking back at the beginning of | | | | he is correct in saying that the origins |
| the 21st Century, this seems almost | | | | of Ardor, Brebbia, Savinelli and, to a |
| obvious. However, in the 1960s, neither | | | | lesser degree, Castello are |
| the Italian pipe renaissance, nor the | | | | manufacturing oriented, the hand made |
| Danish revolution spurred by Sixten | | | | pipes coming from the likes of Luigi |
| Ivarsson and Preben Holm, had yet come | | | | Radice, Roberto Ascorti (Caminetto) and |
| to pass. Until then, while attractive | | | | Dorelio Rovera ( Ardor) suggests that |
| grain was considered positive, if it | | | | this is certainly not the case today. |
| happened, it happened by accident. One | | | | This region's style is certainly not as |
| need only look at Dunhills, GBDs, | | | | cohesively definable as that of Pesaro. |
| Barlings, Comoys and other great English | | | | For example, in the case of Radice, |
| pipes from the 1950s and before to see | | | | there are considerable elements that are |
| this. Combining this regard for | | | | traceable to Castello and Caminetto, but |
| traditional shapes with a concern for | | | | much of the shaping seems to have also |
| grain, one begins to understand the | | | | been influenced by the Pesaro school. |
| Pesaro pipe. Other influences are | | | | Ardor has a style that is very difficult |
| involved also, though. For lack of a | | | | to trace to another tradition. It is |
| better descriptor, Pesaro pipes look | | | | also difficult to quantify, except to |
| Italian. English pipes reflect British | | | | say that it is exceptionally inventive |
| culture to a great degree, perhaps best | | | | and often whimsical. While their pipes |
| articulated by traditional, refined | | | | are clearly recognizable as Italian, the |
| elegance. Italian pipes, like Italian | | | | Roveras have such a style of their own |
| cars, are thematically more modern and | | | | that it is nearly impossible to trace a |
| more chic in their elegance. | | | | stylistic lineage. As for Castello and |
| To maintain the vehicular analogy for a | | | | Caminetto, there is a focus on |
| moment, Italian, and especially Pesaro, | | | | traditional, strong shapes with clean |
| pipes are to English pipes as 1960s | | | | lines. Savinelli and Brebbia are both |
| Ferraris are to 1960s Rolls Royces. Both | | | | imbued with a manufacturing mentality |
| are of high-quality, but they are | | | | that is necessary given the way they |
| entirely different in terms of design | | | | make pipes. High-end pipes from both |
| and conception. Pesaro school pipes, | | | | companies (such as Autographs from |
| both as a further explanation of their | | | | Savinelli) combine vestiges of this |
| 'Italian-ness' and as an adjunct to it, | | | | mentality (in terms of simple, well |
| also have an architectural flair that | | | | defined, robust forms) with the rigorous |
| focuses on clean lines and holistically | | | | focus on hand made perfection espoused |
| and cohesively designed shapes. Clearly, | | | | by Castello and Caminetto. |
| discussion and assessment of the Pesaro | | | | Though Italian pipes and pipe making |
| style, be it from an artistic or a craft | | | | deserve a far more exhaustive analysis |
| perspective, is far from simple. | | | | than can be provided here, I hoped this |
| In the part of Lombardy north of Milan-- | | | | served as an interesting introduction |
| Como, Cucciago, Varese-- is the other | | | | into the great world of Italian pipes. |