Volkan Phoenix Grade Sandblasted Brandy w/ Cumberland Estate Briar Pipe, Unsmoked

Description

Introducing the Volkan make requires a brief detour into Italian pipe history. Jean-Marie Alberto Paronelli, born in 1914, was one of the fathers of Italian artisan pipe-making, a renown he achieved through pipes made under his own name, through designs he contributed to major Italian makes, and through his distribution of other artisan makes, such as the Clairmont pipes made by Tommaso Spanu. When he was old enough, Jean-Marie’s son, Antonio Paronelli, also took on making Paronelli pipes; when Antonio’s son Ariberto came of age, he too took on the Paronelli pipe making name. But Ariberto wasn’t the only son of Antonio to become a pipe maker, so his other son, Alberto, created Volkan pipes as a sister make to Paronelli.

It would appear that Denmark isn’t the only country with pipe making dynasties. Like the Roveras’ Ardor make, the Paronellis’ Volkan make shows just how much can be accomplished having several generations worth of pipe making expertise can pay off. I’m not sure whether this stout brandy has been both rusticated and sandblasted or simply went through the sandblasting cabinet numerous times, but it certainly shows off the kind of wildly deep, ring grain finishing that can come from the latter—America’s J.T. Cooke and Lee Von Erck being relevant examples. Like certain other Italian pipe makes, this one has a splash of unconventional color to it, though unlike most Italian makes, the color on this one comes from a stem and ferrule cut from two varieties of swirling cumberland.

This pipe is completely unsmoked and comes with its original sleeve.

 

Details:

Length: 6″ / 152.4mm

Bowl Width: 0.76 / 19.30mm

Bowl Depth: 1.88″ / 47.75mm

Weight: 2.6oz / 76g