Castello 2001 Collection 54 KK Smooth Liverpool Estate Briar Pipe, Italian Estates

Description

Founded in 1947 by Carlo Scotti, Castello quickly became known for producing some of the finest smoking pipes in the world. Over the years, the people involved in making Castello pipes has changed—such as Luigi Radice and Sergio Ascorti, who developed their skills in the Cantu workshop before leaving to start Caminetto, or the handing of the reigns of the company to Francisco “Kino” Coppo after Scotti’s passing—but the superlative quality of Castello pipes has not. It is not without reason that Castello is known as “the Italian Dunhill.”

Castello’s Collection line sits near the very top of the workshop’s smooth finishes. Aside from the rusticated Natural Vergin line, Collection pipes typically wear Castello’s simplest, lightest staining so as to showcase the superior grain patterns necessary to qualify for such an accolade. This 2 “k” grade Collection certainly features exemplary straight grain patterns, though the way it uses that natural patterning is even more striking. One of the signature motifs adopted by Castello over the last few decades has been the spiral-carved bowl, giving pipes the appearance of being “twisted” or “warped.” While on paper it might sound a little strange, the manner by which it is applied by the artisans in Castello’s workshop is always very tasteful, complementing the design, rather than complicating it. It’s not something Castello pipes feature as standard (neither is the briar stem inlay also present on this one), but when it does appear, every once in a while, it’s really something to see.

The condition is good. Some darkening and charring on the inner rim and slight handling marks.

Details:

Length: 5.5″ / 139.7mm

Bowl Width: 0.77 / 19.55mm

Bowl Depth: 1.58″ / 40.13mm

Weight: 1.4oz / 40g