Viprati 1 Clover Smooth Acorn w/ Silver Estate Briar Pipe, Italian Estates

Description

Much like in Denmark or Japan, many of the great names in Italian artisan pipe-making got their start working for other greats in their famous workshops. This was the case for artisans such as Giancarlo Guidi, Luigi Radice, Sergio Ascorti, and Maurizio Tombari. Luigi Viprati, on the other hand, is one of the few self-taught Italian pipe-makers of the 20th century to have reached the same heights as such contemporaries. First picking up the craft in 1972, Viprati would ultimately become one of the defining names in Italian pipes, which he remains to this day.

One thing I’ve learned from handling Viprati estates over the years is that he doesn’t do things by halves. This particular pipe is a good example of that. Viprati grades most of his smooth pipes using four leaf clovers, or quadrifogli, with one clover being the first rung on the ladder. But even then, as seen on this one clover grade acorn, the pipes are hand-shaped to bring out great grain patterns, and are usually adorned with some form of ornamentation, such as the sterling silver collar and briar stem inlay seen here.

The condition is fair. Rim darkening, including some slight inner rim charring, a few handling marks, and a few small scratches on the bowl.

 

Details:

Length: 5.5″ / 139.7mm

Bowl Width: 0.93 / 23.62mm

Bowl Depth: 1.79″ / 45.46mm

Weight: 1.8oz / 52g