Ardor Urano Partially Rusticated Calabash w/ Silver Estate Briar Pipe, Italian Estates

Like many Italian workshop brands, Ardor pipes are a family affair. The name itself is an acronym of Angelo Rovera and Dorelio Rovera, father and son pipe-makers who created the brand in 1972. The Rovera family’s history with pipes goes back much further, however, as Angelo’s own father, Francesco, had previously established the Sociedade Rovera pipe company with his brothers in 1911. All Ardor pipes are completely hand-made from briar that has been seasoned for at least 4-5 years, and the brand is noteworthy for its playful and innovative approaches to design. As a result, Ardor pipes are both quintessentially Italian, while also being somewhat different, having a style that is wholly their own.

Like most of the great Italian workshops, Ardor has their own rustication style under the name, “Urano,” which is the Italian form of the English, “Uranus.” Most of Ardor’s lines are named after celestial bodies, in fact, such as the Venere (Venus), Giove (Jupiter), and Meteora (meteor). More rugged than the contemporary Castello Sea Rock finishes but not quite as jagged as the old Caminetto Business, it strikes a fine balance, as all Ardor pipes do, between the bold and the beautiful. In this instance, the Urano has been applied to a very distinctive rendition of the calabash, with a wide, smooth polished rim contrasting with the bowl’s darker, earthier finish, and a sterling silver faux spigot mount.

The condition is very good. Some darkening and finish fading on the rim.

Details:

Length: 6.4″ /162.5mm

Bowl Width: 0.93 / 23.62mm

Bowl Depth: 1.59″ / 40.38mm

Weight: 1.8oz / 52g