Savinelli Champagne 121 EX Smooth Pot 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.

The Champagne is one of Savinelli’s many discontinued lines. In other words, it’s no longer in production. Why is it discontinued? Who knows. One could hazard a guess that it’s because Savinelli’s business model has been, in recent decades, one of constant renewal, with new lines introduced every year (sometimes many new lines). It’s not really a bad thing, but it does mean that a lot of nice pipes get left by the wayside. The Champagne featured a couple of things less commonly seen in Savinelli’s contemporary output. One is a vulcanite stem, rather than an acrylic; another is the use of its larger, “EX” shapes, which are now all but exclusive to the Hercules line. This Champagne, for example, is rendered in the extra large variation of Savinelli’s classic 121 pot, making for an excellent ribbon or mixture cut pipe. It’s pretty good looking, too, with a very light brown smooth finish over cross-grain and bird’s-eye, and a vulcanite stem that includes a neat, narrow brass inlay.

The condition is very good. Minor inner rim darkening and a couple of scratches on the bowl, but nothing major. The pipe is chambered to allow for the use of 6mm filters if desired, such as Savinelli’s own balsa filters, but will perform perfectly well without one.

Details:

Length: 6.5″ / 165.1mm

Bowl Width: 1.02 / 25.90mm

Bowl Depth: 1.54″ / 39.11mm

Weight: 2.2oz / 64g