Savinelli Virginia 111 KS Smooth Billiard 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.

Savinelli’s Virginia line came out in the 1990s and, like many a great Savinelli line, has long been discontinued, with no signs of returning. One might ask why so many Savinelli lines have been discontinued over the decades, and often the answer simply has to do with the changing tastes of the day. With the Virginia, on the other hand, I would wager another reason came into play with its demise, one that is evident just from looking at it. If you’re anything like me, your first thought when seeing this one was “wow, look at the grain on that pipe!” I’m not prone to hyperbole but I genuinely can’t remember the last time I saw a Savinelli that looked like this one that wasn’t a Giubileo d’Oro, or a Punto Oro at the very least. Given how expensive good briar is, and how it’s only getting more dear, something tells me that the Virginia was not destined to live forever. Shame, but that’s how it is sometimes.

The condition is very good. Some inner charring and minor finish fading. This pipe is chambered to allow for the use of 6mm filters, such as Savinelli’s own balsa filters, but will perform perfectly well without one if preferred.

Details:

Length: 6″ / 152.4mm

Bowl Width: 0.89 / 22.60mm

Bowl Depth: 1.72″ / 43.68mm

Weight: 1.3oz / 38g