Mastro de Paja 1B Sandblasted Panel Dublin Estate Briar Pipe, Unsmoked

Description

Like Castello, Mastro de Paja holds a special place in the world of Italian high-grade pipe workshops. Founded in 1972 by Giancarlo Guidi, the MdP team was soon joined by Giannino Spadoni and Bruto Sordini with the Guidi and Spadoni at the helm of the company until 1981. Guidi then left with Sordini to found Ser Jacopo, and Sordini would later leave Ser Jacopo to found Don Carlos. Spadoni, on the other hand, stayed at MdP until he also left, after which he founded Fiamma di Re. Today, Mastro de Paja is guided by Alberto Montini, with the workshop being known for both the manufacture of some of Italy’s most admired pipes, and for having launched the careers of some of its most respected artisans.

This looks to be a slightly older pipe from the Mastro de Paja workshop, focused less on ostentatious compositions and fineries and more on the basics of a high-quality, handmade Italian pipe. Taking the form of a large, freehand Dublin shape with some very interesting paneling (on both the bowl and the shank), the design is beautifully simple, especially compared to its counterparts from other Pesaro school workshops. Along with the shaping, the finishing is excellent, taking the more “Italian” approach to sandblasting that tends to be less aggressively applied by artisans from other nations, yet still manages to create a striking, ring grain relief—in no small part thanks to a carefully combined contrast stain. The rim remains smooth polished, however, which is no surprise given the wealth of bird’s-eye grain it features.

This pipe is completely unsmoked, having come to us in a large lot of new old stock pipes from a shop closure in Europe.

Details:

Length: 6.2″ / 157.4mm

Bowl Width: 0.89 / 22.60mm

Bowl Depth: 1.65″ / 41.91mm

Weight: 2.5oz / 72g