Castello (Pre-1988) Sea Rock G15 Rusticated Pot (Estate)

About this pipe:

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.’

This particular Castello is a stout and relatively large example of the workshop’s famous Sea Rock Briar line. The G on Sea Rock finishes denotes oversized pipes – pipes that are larger in certain proportions than K-graded pipes, but are not so large that they are classified as Great Line or Big Line. So, if you like larger pipes, but don’t quite want something of the magnum variety, this should be the pipe for you. It’s a lovely Lovat-pot hybrid with satisfyingly tactile black rustication, but with an uncommonly smooth polished rim dressed in red. I’d say the color contrast works marvelously.

While I confess that I do not know exactly when the G grade was introduced, the Carlo Scotti stamp signifies that the pipe was produced during his tenure as owner of the workshop, so the pipe is pre-1988. It’s in fantastic condition: the lucite stem is free of scratches or tooth impressions, the finish is pristine, and even the smooth rim is almost completely spotless.

Details:

Length: 5.8″

Bowl Width: 23.7mm

Bowl Depth: 1.9″

Weight: 2.6oz / 75g