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Article #1: Italian pipes

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






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