Castello “Castello” 4K Shape 55 Pot Estate Briar Pipe, Italian Estates

Description

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.

The shape “55” is arguably Castello’s most famous shape, whether in the form of the workshop’s own incredibly popular renditions, or indeed in the numerous re-interpretations by prominent artisans across the globe. With its Zulu-like curvature and wide-jawed pot bowl, it is instantly recognizable as a Castello design, even when made by someone else. This 55 is a little different, however. It features a sterling silver collar—something quite rare on contemporary Castello pipes—and an additional, spiral bowl carving, which gives the appearance of a weaving pattern between its ridges and valleys and the briar’s natural straight grain.

The condition is fair. Some wear to the rim, minor finish fading, and a couple of tooth marks in the pipe’s Lucite stem.

Details:

Length: 5.2″ / 132.0mm

Bowl Width: 0.90 / 22.86mm

Bowl Depth: 1.17″ / 29.71mm

Weight: 1.7oz / 50g