Micoli (Robert Burns) Rusticated Freehand Billiard 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’s a great range to Micoli pipes, some being more classically oriented, and some being more akin to functional sculptures. This one is closer to the former category, yet it is also instantly recognizable as a Micoli for two key reasons. The first, and likely most obvious, is his signature rustication style, whose sheer depth appears to have been unmatched until Walt Cannoy came up with his “Lava Rock” finish. The second is Burns’ distinctive approach to ornamentation, with this one featuring the recurring Micoli motif of a layered, multicolor acrylic mount.

All in all you’d be hard pressed to find anything quite like it. You’d also be hard pressed to find one that was completely unsmoked, which this one happens to be, with an original bowl coating.

 

Details:

Length: 6.5″ / 165.1mm

Bowl Width: 0.94 / 23.87mm

Bowl Depth: 1.64″ / 41.65mm

Weight: 1.8oz / 52g