Savinelli Autograph 3 Partially Sandblasted Freehand Estate Briar Pipe, Italian Estates, 6mm

Description

It is probably fair to say that Savinelli is Italy’s most famous pipe brand. Founded in Milan in 1876 by Achille Savinelli, the brand has continuously offered high quality pipes for nearly 150 years. Though various Savinelli lines have come and gone over the years, the brand has always been notable for putting out classically styled pipes with a distinctly Italian twist.

Like the Charatan freehand workshop in mid-20th century England, or Tsuge’s Ikebana workshop in late 20th century and 21st century Japan, Savinelli has its own, special area of the company’s campus reserved for master artisans, where non-standard pipe shapes are carved using techniques that are closer to handicraft than mechanized, mass production. Sometimes the Autograph workshop produces hand-turned re-imaginings of more classic designs, and other times, as with this one, it produces pipes that are a little more like the Danish “fancy” freehands of Preben Holm et al. And, just as Preben Holm’s high-grades were, this one is impressively grained, with its 360 degrees of tight, vertical fibers culminating in a rim of plateaux burl.

The condition is good. Some inner rim darkening and handling marks. The pipe is chambered to allow for the use of 6mm filters, such as Savinelli’s own balsa filters, if desired, but will also perform perfectly well without one.

Details:

Length: 5.5″ / 139.7mm

Bowl Width: 1.01 / 25.65mm

Bowl Depth: 1.77″ / 44.95mm

Weight: 2.1oz / 62g