Savinelli Pre-1970 Capri Root Briar 1014 Rusticated Billiard Estate Briar Pipe, Unsmoked

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 Capri Root Briar was one of the earliest lines produced by Savinelli after the opening of their Milan factory in 1948. Not unlike Carlo Scotti’s Castello and the Sea Rock Briar, the Capri Root Briar helped establish the great Italian institution of granular, rusticated finishes on higher-end pipes. Production of the Capri Root Briar ceased in the later 20th century, with only its virgin-finished sister line, the Punto Oro Corallo, remaining (albeit in a highly limited form) in Savinelli’s catalog. But, when the time came to commemorate Achille Savinelli’s legacy by way of the Le Mie Pipe series, modeled on Achille’s own favorite Savinelli pipes, the Capri Root Briar finish was briefly resurrected—which certainly speaks to the line’s important place in Savinelli history.
Based on the four-digit shape code, this saddle billiard iteration will have been made prior to some time in the 1960s, after which the modern three-digit Savinelli shape code was inaugurated. It’s a good looking pipe, but also a genuine piece of history, making it a rather interesting find.

It also happens to be unsmoked, with an original bowl coating. Having been rescued from the inventory of a long-closed pipe shop, it also comes with its original box and sleeve.

 

Details:

Length: 6″ / 152.4mm

Bowl Width: 0.86 / 21.84mm

Bowl Depth: 1.73″ / 43.94mm

Weight: 1.4oz / 40g