Italian vs English please educate.

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tarheel1

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 16, 2014
936
2
I have been a lover of English middle to high grade oil cured pipes for quite some time. Probably 10 years or so. Once I get the British pipes I want I think I will look at Italy next. I don't know much about them but looking at brands such as Ser Jacopo, Don Carlos, Maestro De Paja, Castillo, and Rinaldo. So for the most part how do they differ than the Brits? Price ranges I usually look at are in the 2-500.00 range.

 
Jan 4, 2015
1,858
11
Massachusetts
Italian pipes tend to have an easy, full draw. They also have a very interesting take on traditional styles. I have a number of Italian Artisan or small shop pipes and very much like how they smoke. I've always been a GBD guy (pre-Codogan) and as a rule the Italian makers produce a pipe that equals or exceeds that quality. Also have a look at Moretti pipes, great value, modest price. I recently had a commission done by Marco (owner), great to work with and an excellent product. Well below what you would expect to pay for a commission pipe.

 

deuce26

Can't Leave
Jan 29, 2014
456
4
Slidell, Louisiana
Italian pipes are wonderful. I think of the English designs as the benchmark conservative approach to pipe making. Italian pipes tend to have more pizazz to their designs. Think of the influences of the great Italian artists to the pipe world. More flowing designs like you would see on a marble statute at the Vatican versus the technically precise lines of a Dunhill. And, the top notch manufactuers produce great performing pipes with, like previously stated, have a more open draw which I personally prefer.

 
Italians are the ones who have redfined and broken lots of rules established by the humorless brits! Here is my go-to list without any fluff.
1. Castello

2. Claudio Cavicchi

3. Tonino Jacono

4. Bonfiglioli

5. Il Nuvole - Maurizio Tombari

6. Becker (Try to get Fritz, Paolo and now Federico's pipes)

7. Radice

8. Caminetto

9. Ascorti

10. Mastro de Paja

11. Gamboni

12. Il Ceppo

13. Il Duca

14. L'anatra

15. Cesare Barontini (idk if he does commissions)

16. Mimmo Provenzano

17. Wilma Armellini
A couple of my italian pipes, both are in restoration with George Dibos aka georged
Mastro De Paja 1A Sandblasted Gigante 1960's Make (Giancarlo Guidi Era)

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Castello Sea Rock (Pre K Size Grading)

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Chris :puffpipe:

 
May 31, 2012
4,295
34
Good call Monk!
Gian Maria Gamboni is currently my favorite pipemaker,

and the only Italian-made pipes that I own.
Not only is a tremendously great guy, a very cool person, but he also makes some the the most distinctive pipes out there at the moment, like modernist yet classical interpretations, and once broken in they smoke total champion.
I got eleven of his pipes in my rack,

and more will be coming!
Here's a few that live with me,

they are my soulful friends,

and I dearly love them...
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May 31, 2012
4,295
34
I cannot resist posting pix of several more,

I don't think Gamboni gets enough attention online,

so here we go!

:!:

:idea:

:puffy:


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His pipes gain a lovely patina too,

and the tactile qualities are off the charts.
I dig his work bigtime!

:puffy:

 
Jan 4, 2015
1,858
11
Massachusetts
That last Rhodie is gorgeous. Italian pipe makers have a flair for turning a classic shape in something spectacular and that last one is certainly that.

 

lochinvar

Lifer
Oct 22, 2013
1,687
1,634
Italian pipes are fantastic, of late the only pipes I have bought have been Italian. They have more flair than the British pipes, but still follow the rules of proportion even when going off script ie they don't jar the eye like many of the new artisan makers.
In my collection I have Ser Jacopo, Castello, Il Ceppo and Rinaldo. The Castello and Rinaldo are my best smoking (and were so from the first smoke) with the Rinaldos being the most striking. All four brands are the equals of my Ashtons, Ferndowns, Northern Briars, Dunhills and GBDs.
If I had to narrow to one, try a Rinaldo for your first Italian. For about 10 years I had 2 Castellos and 2 Ser Jacopos, and that was it for the Italians. A week after I got my first Rinaldo I was ordering another.

 
May 31, 2012
4,295
34
Most of the pics are not my style. Way to Danish inspired.
In my mind, the designs are a classical evolution of squat English pipes.
895d81054a116ac538f8ba4d3770d2b5.jpg
Although the Danes make a lot of tomatos or apples or acorns, all those basic shapes originated in England (or possibly France) and looking through vintage Dunhill catalogues it is clearly evident, you don't see many of those pre-war pipes around these days though it seems, they're pretty scarce.
The Danes, in my eyes, approach these squashed shapes with a more angular, mathematical, and clinical style in many cases --- there are exceptions of course, and anyway it's a sort of universal design language. Almost all of the classic shapes that we think of as "English" are actually French, and so it goes.
Looking at this thread you can note variant approaches:

http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/the-lovely-squash-of-low-slung-squatters

...sadly, the Rad Davis pipe images are missing because I had hot-linked directly to his site,

which is now down. :(
The Italian style is much more natural, organic, fluid, and curvaceous,

at least in my eyes.
I like creative and unconventional approaches just as much as I appreciate the conservative classics,

maybe I'm just an oddball?

:?:
Regardless,

in the end we all find what fits for us, personally, and that's the main thang,

and somehow for some reason it is also very enjoyable to talk about it all and share our perspectives with each other.

:puffy:

 

calabashed

Starting to Get Obsessed
May 10, 2015
160
5
Most of the pics are not my style. Way to Danish inspired.
I think there is some Danish influence in a fair number of Italian pipes, in shape as well as frequent use of light / natural stains. Most of the Italian carvers listed here do a bit of that along with the neoclassical takes on old English shapes. I've got some good examples of both types from my most recent PAD purchases, but looks like I can't get pics to upload from my phone right now.

 

tarheel1

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 16, 2014
936
2
I like traditional shapes with a bit of flair,

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryvKXvbR2eQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8wO1LB9X-0

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May 31, 2012
4,295
34
...although I have no personal experience,

I've only read very good things about Il Duca,

maybe his stuff would appeal to you?
:puffy:
http://www.ducapipe.com/​
http://www.smokingpipes.com/pipes/new/duca/
http://www.bollitopipe.it/pipe-duca-pipe-c-10_313.html​
http://www.alpascia.com/pipes/l/Duca-Pipe1
http://www.lepipe.it/english/catalogo.asp?scat=57​
.

 
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