Micoli XL Rusticated Freehand w/ Horn Estate Briar Pipe, Unsmoked

Description

Of all the artisans to have come out of the first, great wave of American freehand carvers in the post-war decades, Robert “Micoli” Burns is by far one of the most unique—which is saying something, considering his close contemporaries are individuals such as Michael Kabik, Randy Wiley, and Joe Mariner. He also remains one of the most celebrated, which is equally impressive given the number of high-grade American artisans who have taken up the craft across the course of Burns’ long career.

There are not many pipe makers out there who are as willing to flout established conventions as there are Robert “Mic” Burns. This holds in pipe design as much as it does in any art, fine or practical. After all, doing so requires making leaps and taking risks, which may or may not pay off, and indeed may entail reputational and financial losses. That Burns’ career has lasted as long as it has gives a good indication as to how that’s fared for him, however.
With this pipe, we find Burns at his most “Micoli,” employing his signature, Dremel-based rustication on parts of a pipe that aren’t typically rusticated at all, even when using a more standard, manual tool. From its briar bowl, to its horn mount, to its ornate stem, nothing on this pipe has been forgotten by Burns’ favored machine tool. The result is highly unique, with the closest comparison one could possibly make being Anne Julie. Julie’s style is, of course, radically different to Burns’, but like Burns, she too flouts convention by often rusticating the ornamentation and mouthpieces of her pipes, creating works that—again, like Burns—do not fit neatly into the categories that we rely on to differentiate and make sense of pipes.

This pipe is completely unsmoked and comes with its original wooden presentation case and sleeve. There is some slight oxidation on the pipe’s vulcanite stem but, in the interests of preservation, we’ve chosen to leave it as is. That way, the pipe’s next owner can make their own decisions on refurbishment, if so desired.

 

Details:

Length: 7.0″ / 177.8mm

Bowl Width: 0.78 / 19.81mm

Bowl Depth: 1.44″ / 36.57mm

Weight: 1.9oz / 56g