The End of Unfinished Savenelli's?

[mso489]

Savenelli pipes have long been available in an economy line as unfinished pipes that develop

a beautiful honey golden glow after a few months of smoking that deepens with time. Often

these come in unfiltered models. They can come with vulcanite or lucite stems. Most have a few

fills, some more, some few. When I bought one of these pipes from Pipes and Leaf at the Raleigh

TAPS pipe show last weekend, a senior Pipe and Leaf person who used to work with Savenelli said

he'd heard Sav was eliminating their line of unfinished pipes. Thinking about it, there may be a

logic to this inasmuch as Savenelli has developed their Rossi line of pipes which appears to use some

of their Sav shapes, but with somewhat darker finishes. Perhaps this is a different way of using the

seconds and stamped pipes that are sold unfinished. I think someone will always sell unfinished pipes,

but Sav sold some lovely ones. If you've never owned one, now may be the time. It's a unique pipe

smoking experience. The one I bought recently was a billiard foresquare panel, the only one I could spot

in their box of unfinished pipes, and it was stamped with the Sav logo. Couldn't let it go.

 

[eastwoodaudio]

I would be very sad to see this happen, my absolute favorite pipe right now is my Savinelli unfinished bulldog.. Unfortunately I'm collecting unemployment at the moment due to being laid off or I'd buy 2 more..

 

[dread]

I have one and I absolutely love it. Better pick up another one just in case . . .

 

[cosmicfolklore]

One of my smoothest smokers is a Savinelli Rossi Napoli that I stripped the finish off of. I also have a few antique pipes that I stripped that I love. I know that there's not much to it, but the pipe feels more like a living thing when it has a natural surface, breathing and dissipating the heat. Or, at least it "feels" that way. I guess I had better get one of those unfinished ones before they're all gone.

 

[dottiewarden]

Are the Series III Sav's considered unfinished? They look pretty good and a steal for under 50 bucks at Pipe and Leaf!

 

[eastwoodaudio]

Dottiewarden - yes, I do believe they are the same. Savinelli calls them "grezza" which means rough.

 

[woodsroad]

Smokingpipes.com/Laudisi Distribution Group is the USA distributor for Savinelli.

Ask them.

 

[aristokles]

I wonder if Savenelli has picked up enough contract work and/or private pipe branding to use up their briar stock in higher margin uses.

 

[woodsroad]

Well...who is making Stanwell these days?

 

[mso489]

woodsroad and other Forums members, I'll ask, through the Laudisi sales email address and pass along any

information from there. I guess the smokingpipes.com owner company (Laudisi) is the U.S. rep for Savenelli.

 

[mso489]

woodsroad and other Forums members, I'll ask, through the Laudisi sales email address and pass along any

information from there. I guess the smokingpipes.com owner company (Laudisi) is the U.S. rep for Savenelli.

 

[brudnod]

Does the fact that no one posted a web site address that they are not easily come by these days?

 

[mso489]

brudnod, I think Pipe and Leaf has them available, but I haven't checked their site, and

I have seen them online at Cup O Joes, on about the fifth page of Savenellis, and also

a few at westerntobaccopipes.com. I think they'll be around for a while in inventory

various places. The question is, will they be replenished, or is this it? So far as I can

tell, smokingpipes.com does not carry them online, nor does Iwan Ries. I have seen other

brands of pipes offer unfinished pipes at B&M shops; I think Cassano sells some. At least one

or two others, I saw at the April 12 pipe show in Raleigh, NC, but I can't remember the brand(s).

 

[carytobacco]

Does the fact that no one posted a web site address that they are not easily come by these days?

Try these. I think a lot of other places are either out of stock or don't put these on their online sites
http://www.pipeandleaf.com/?s=series+iii+lucite&post_type=product
http://cupojoes.com/cgi-bin/dept?dpt=H&srch=KW&search_text=series+iii&submit=Submit

 

[carytobacco]

Are the Series III Sav's considered unfinished? They look pretty good and a steal for under 50 bucks at Pipe and Leaf!

Yes, they are unfinished. Some customers like to put their own finish on them, and even if you don't they will darken over time into a nice matte finish.

 

[brudnod]

They look pretty good Cary. Thanks!

 

[plateauguy]

Just got a reply to the email I sent PipeandLeaf - Savinelli is definately discontinuing the Series III, but P&L might get one more shipment in. They'll let me know so I can order that sweet #12.

 

[foggymountain]

Unfinished briar can be quite an experience. There was a vendor called the Wilke Pipe Shop on Madison Ave in the middle of the last century. They sold only completely unfinished briar under their own name. No stain, no wax. It was run by two sisters who inherited it from their father. The pipes were light beige in color and gradually colored like a meerschaum, but more quickly. The pipes tasted woody at first, which could be avoided by filling the bowl with brandy or rum and refilling for several days as it evaporated and was absorbed by the briar. Once dried it had a taste similar to the spirits. By the time that taste wore off the briar was broken in enough to taste better. I hung out there as a teenager and bought quite a few of their pipes. Only one has survived until now. It is probably the best smoker I ever had. I bought it new for $20 and turned down $100 for it several years later from a pipe shop. It has a perfect straight grain all around the bowl. If it were a Dunhill made from that piece of briar it would bring $5000 today. This picture is several years old. It is interesting that the stains cover the briar's woody taste in today's pipes, eliminating the need for a spirit bath.

 

[natibo]

Smokingpipes still sells unfinished Savs:
Pinga

 

[plateauguy]

Just got off the P&L website. They had more pipes listed, and a nice author shape is on it's way!