Ser Jacopo L1 Smooth Rhodesian (Estate)

About this pipe:

Ser Jacopo is one of the most famous contemporary examples 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 was perhaps the defining feature (aside from geographical proximity) of the so-called “Pesaro school” of pipe making, and though its associated workshops and artisans have developed their own, individual styles further, few have strayed completely from that original vision.

This Ser Jacopo keeps things very traditional, taking the form of a classic Rhodesian not unlike the French briars of yesteryear. Unlike most of those French briars, however, it’s also beautifully grained, with flame grain lapping around the entirety of the bowl’s exterior.

The condition is good. Minor inner rim charring, slight finish fading, and a couple of small scratches on the bowl.

Details: 

Length: 5.6″ / 142.2mm

Bowl Width: 0.83 / 21.08mm

Bowl Depth: 1.56″ / 39.62mm

Weight: 1.4oz / 40g