Jean Lacroix Nizza De Luxe Smooth Panel Estate Briar Pipe, French Estates [SOLD OUT]

Description

The Lacroix brand was founded in the 1960s in France, however its roots go back over a century, owing to the Lacroix family’s historic ties to pipe-making. Eugene Lacroix, for example, worked at the Delacour factory in the 19th century; his sons established a factory of their own; and his grandsons, Jean being one, created Jean Lacroix pipes. Today, Jean Lacroix himself is well known for his activities with the French  Confrérie des maîtres-pipiers de Saint-Claude, a kind of hall-of-fame organization for the world’s most accomplished pipe-makers, based in the birthplace of the briar pipe, Saint-Claude.

While the Jean Lacroix factory operation was first set up in a building once owned by Delacour (and worked in by Jean’s grandfather), this did not preclude Jean himself from making pipes. Jean established himself as one of France’s top pipe-makers in the 20th century, typically producing high-grade freehands, but he also personally made another series for the Jean Lacroix brand. That series was the Nizza, an example of which we have here. In terms of design, the pipe is a very traditional foursquare, though at 6 and a half inches in length, it is a tad larger than is usual. It also features absolutely stunning grain, with much of the pipe covered in natural bird’s-eye patterns, and the rest covered in flame grain. A light brown/blonde stain has been applied to emphasize these patterns, giving the pipe a very natural overall hue.

The pipe is in a fantastic condition – from the looks of it, the previous owner either smoked a lone half-bowl in it, or didn’t smoke it at all. Perhaps he, or she, was simply too taken aback by the pipe’s appearance to concentrate on smoking!

 

Details:

Length: 6.5″

Bowl Width: 23.8mm

Bowl Depth: 1.9″

Weight: 2.1oz / 62g