Luigi Viprati Rusticated Oval Shank Billiard Estate Briar Pipe, Italian Estates

Description

Much like in Denmark or Japan, many of the great names in Italian artisan pipe-making got their start working for other greats in their famous workshops. This was the case for artisans such as Giancarlo Guidi, Luigi Radice, Sergio Ascorti, and Maurizio Tombari. Luigi Viprati, on the other hand, was one of the few entirely self-taught Italian pipe-makers of the 20th century to have reached the same heights as such contemporaries. First picking up the craft in 1972, Viprati would ultimately become one of the defining names in Italian pipes, which he remained until his passing in 2025.

While Luigi Viprati was well known for his superbly grained smooth pipes, he was also renowned for his sandblasted and rusticated pipes, which often incorporated relief finishes in distinctive and novel ways. His rusticated pieces were especially interesting in this regard. Not only was Viprati adept at the quintessentially Italian pebble-dash finishes seen on makes as diverse as Castello, Savinelli, and Ser Jacopo, but his portfolio included plenty of other meticulously hand-carved motifs. In the case of this one, for example, Viprati pursued a tree bark aesthetic, faithfully capturing the ridges and layers of cork found on the trunk of an ancient oak.

The condition is good. Some darkening and finish fading on the rim and some handling marks.

Details:

Length: 5.7″ / 144.7mm

Bowl Width: 0.86 / 21.84mm

Bowl Depth: 1.67″ / 42.41mm

Weight: 1.5oz / 44g