Ser Jacopo (c.1994-97) (Maxima) Smooth Bent Billiard with Silver (Estate)

Ser Jacopo is one of the most famous contemporary example of high-grade, workshop-made Italian pipes. It also belongs to a very special tradition in Italian pipe making, having been established by Giancarlo Guidi and Bruno Sordini after the two had left another great Italian workshop, Mastro de Paja. Together, Guidi and Sordini created a brand of pipes that reflected their Renaissance sensibilities—even the figurehead of Ser Jacopo happens to be taken from a painting of a nobleman from centuries past—one that would soon become esteemed for creating unique and beautiful tobacco pipes that smoked just as perfectly as they looked.

While Ser Jacopo pipes often lean toward the ornate—and sometimes, toward the downright extravagant—the workshop’s roots will likely always be in the “Pesaro school” and its classical leanings. Thus, throughout its history (and its pre-history in Mastro de Paja), Ser Jacopo has maintained a place in its portfolio for renditions of more traditional shapes. The difference, of course, is that Ser Jacopo’s “traditional” pipes express levels of precision, attention to detail, and beauty that are seldom possible outside of the artisan’s craft.

This Ser Jacopo is a distinctly stout, silver mounted bent billiard from the make’s Maxima oversized series, though in this instance I’d say the proportions are closer to an oversized pipe from the early 20th century, as it is very manageable despite its significant heft. Judging by what looks to be a red plexiglass stem logo, the pipe will have been made around the mid-1990s, prior to Ser Jacopo’s adoption of the silver “J” found on most of the make’s pipes today.

The condition is good. Some darkening and minor finish fading on the rim, and some very slight scratches on the bowl.

Details:

Length: 5.55″ / 140.9mm

Chamber Width: 0.87″ / 22.09mm

Chamber Depth: 1.64″ / 41.65mm

Bowl Height: 1.99″ / 50.54mm

Weight: 2.6oz / 74g