Luciano FR S* Sandblasted Freehand w/ Olivewood Estate Briar Pipe, Unsmoked

Description

Those who were around during the 2010s may remember Luciano pipes. They were the creation of Luca di Piazza, owner of the now seemingly defunct Italian retailer NeatPipes, and were very well received when they made their American debut. First produced in partnership with Radice, then by Italian artisan Davide Iafisco, and including some designs co-created with GL Pease, Luciano became a go-to for a high-quality, reasonably priced, Italian pipe. By the end of the 2010s, however, Neat Pipes, and Luciano with it, had all but disappeared, with production presumed to have ceased.

The Luciano brand underwent a number of successive changes in the early 2010s. A dedicated shape chart and set of house finishes were established; production was moved from partnering companies, such as Radice, to Luciano’s own, new on-site workshop; talented, budding artisans, such as Davide Iafisco, were brought in to make Luciano pipes; and quality was significantly improved, with a greater emphasis on individual handicraft. This one looks to be mid-2010s, from a time when many Luciano pipes were made according to the workshop’s shape chart, but a select few were carved freehand, with the design left to the maker’s imagination. The FR.S and the star stamp indicate this as being the case, with the “S” standing for sandblast and the star indicating a tan finish. Nomenclature aside, it’s a beautiful pipe, with a French fleur-like freehand shaping, dense ring grain, and an olivewood accent.

This pipe is completely unsmoked and comes with its original sleeve.

Details:

Length: 6″ / 152.4mm

Bowl Width: 0.95 / 24.13mm

Bowl Depth: 1.65″ / 41.91mm

Weight: 2.0oz / 58g