Castello (1999) Limited Edition Collection Smooth Liverpool with Silver (Estate)

In the world of pipes, Italy is famous for its workshops—institutions that operate at a smaller scale to factories, but in which expert artisans work tirelessly to create pipes entirely by hand. Founded in 1947 by Carlo Scotti, Castello is one of the oldest and most renowned of these workshops, and Castello pipes are often spoken of as Italy’s answer to England’s famous Dunhill pipes. Known for its equally high-grade smooth, sandblasted, and rusticated finishes, Castello’s legacy is felt not only in the continued success of the make itself, but also in the various, similarly high-end workshops founded by former Castello craftsmen, such as Caminetto, Radice, and Ascorti.

While Castello pipes are certainly exclusive, the workshop is less known for its explicitly limited edition offerings. But Castello do make such pipes, and the reason for their relative lack of recognition is likely in part because their limited edition pieces are indeed very limited. Throughout the 1990s, Castello released a special, yearly pipe—something like a “pipe of the year,” as certain other makes offer—with production restricted to only 235 of them across Castello’s various finishes.

The 1999 release, seen here, was a large Dublin-Liverpool hybrid, and this particular example holds the honor of belonging to one of Castello’s highest grade brackets, the Collection. Dressed in a light, natural finish and decked with swirling flame grain, the pipe is accented, as all 1999 models were, with an ornate, specially engraved silver collar bearing the Castello name and the year of its release.

The condition is good. Chamber slightly over-reamed, minor rim darkening, and slight finish fading. This pipe comes with its original box and sleeve.

Details:

Length: 6.5″ / 165.1mm

Bowl Width: 0.88 / 22.35mm

Bowl Depth: 1.71″ / 43.43mm

Weight: 1.5oz / 44g