Savinelli (c.1960s) Punto Oro Corallo 7008 EX Rusticated Lovat Estate Briar Pipe, Italian Estates

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.

The Punto Oro is one of the oldest series of pipes in Savinelli’s catalog, having debuted in the midcentury following the opening of Achille Savinelli’s Milan factory. It has since become one of the make’s high-grade series, with only around 1% (or, sometimes much fewer) of the bowls turned at Savinelli’s factory possessing the quality of briar required to become a Punto Oro. There are several variations of the Punto Oro; some wear smooth finishes, while other others wear sandblasts. There is one Punto Oro variation, however, that is rarer than all others, and that is the Punto Oro Corallo. The Corallo is a similarly storied finish for Savinelli, having been developed in the Milan factory’s early years by the resident master craftsmen of the time. It is neither a smooth nor a sandblast finish, but a rusticated one, and as such it belongs to Italy’s veritable national tradition of high-end rusticated pipes.

The Corallo is not simply a form of rustication, though—or, perhaps, it is, but in a different sense than one might presume. Even though they are destined to be rusticated, the bowls used to make the Corallo must be flawless inside and out, for when such pipes leave Savinelli’s factory, they are in a near-naked state. They do not wear stains or oils, but are simply waxed and left au naturel. This is because, as they are smoked, the briar absorbs moisture released in that process and slowly darkens, taking on a golden patina. The Punto Oro Corallo is particularly sought after, but it is also very rare, with sheer demand and the restrictive circumstances of its manufacture contributing to that scarcity. Judging by the shape code, this one should have been made around the 1960s, prior to Savinelli’s adoption of its three-digit modern shape code system. The code itself, “7008 EX” indicates it is an oversized shape, whose contemporary analog would be the “708 EX,” a less common Lovat rendition. It looks to have had a good life so far, too, as it proudly wears the golden brown hue that only comes from years of faithful companionship. And now, it is time for that life to continue in someone else’s hands.

The condition is good. Some rim darkening and handling marks, and chamber slightly over-reamed.

Details:

Length: 6.4″ / 162.5mm

Bowl Width: 0.94 / 23.87mm

Bowl Depth: 2.07″ / 52.57mm

Weight: 1.7oz / 50g