Where To Find Some Thorough Castello Information?

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burleyboy

Part of the Furniture Now
Jul 30, 2019
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Hello Castello savants,

I am trying to do some research on Castello pipes in general and especially on their Epoca line. It appears to me, that there is not much detailed serious information out there about this brand. All I can find is things like explanations of their stamps and grading systems.

One bit of information especially caught my attention. The great Fishnbanjo wrote the following about Epocas here on Pipesmagazine:

„I was the schooled on the fact that not all Castello Epoca pipes were of the Drip Wax finish of which around 100 were made, there was another finish which is called Rock Face and less than 50 of these were made.“

Sadly he is no longer there to be asked, but I‘m really keen to know, where one could source such kind of knowledge? Searching the Internet for terms like „Rock Face“ or searching for production numbers only leads to his post as a result, but as he said he was schooled by doing research, there must be any source of this kind of knowledge...

Do you have any idea where to source such kind of or exactly that bit of knowledge?

Thanks!
 
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daveinlax

Charter Member
May 5, 2009
1,989
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Look up Robert C Hamlin's Castello guide. That was one of my go to pages.

I wish I could have nailed down some solid information. I had Italian sources who knows Radice, Ascorti and Coppo try to get any information they could, I had a few simple, straight forward questions to get started and I got nothing.?
 
Last edited:

burleyboy

Part of the Furniture Now
Jul 30, 2019
862
4,473
Europe
The Hamlin guide is a good one! It‘s detailed, though it is more a broad spread article than going in depth.

Thanks again for your piece of literature, Dave! I thoroughly read through it and it already answered many of my questions. Those photos alone are a treasure!
 

Saintwilliam

Starting to Get Obsessed
Sep 26, 2019
213
317
I've been collecting castello Epoca's for years and have 50 some in the collection. Nothing ground breaking but I can offer you this. ?

This is amazing! I’m a bit stunned by its existence to be honest.

Why was this piece written and are there more things like it on which ever brand or finish?

There should be an archive of works like this.
 
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Oct 7, 2016
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There is supposedly an Italian professional author at work on a history of Castello with the cooperation of Franco Coppo (and presumably his wife, Carlo Scotti’s daughter.) The Hamlin piece is out of date in many respects, was wrong when published in others ( for example, SC does not stand for “Scotti, Carlo” as the article states;it is a size designation) but is a good historical overview nonetheless. There were a few contributions about the early history of Castello that showed up in the old Alt Smokers Pipes. Just how Scotti managed to pull off the founding of a high end pipe manufacturing operation from scratch at a time (1947) when Italy was only beginning to recover from WW II would be a very interesting story.
 

burleyboy

Part of the Furniture Now
Jul 30, 2019
862
4,473
Europe
Thanks for that information, oldgeezersmoker! If I hadn't already learned it at school, this sounds like one book, I'd probaly learn reading for.
 
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burleyboy

Part of the Furniture Now
Jul 30, 2019
862
4,473
Europe
As I did continue my research about the Epoca line, I discovered, that many of these pipes have a stamp on them saying "C.S." The one, that I won recently on eBay has it also. It appears to me, that this stamp does only show up on Epocas. May I ask you, @daveinlax, what this stamp does mean? Thanks again!
 

daveinlax

Charter Member
May 5, 2009
1,989
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As I did continue my research about the Epoca line, I discovered, that many of these pipes have a stamp on them saying "C.S." The one, that I won recently on eBay has it also. It appears to me, that this stamp does only show up on Epocas. May I ask you, @daveinlax, what this stamp does mean? Thanks again!
Carlo Scotti. Most of my Epoca's are marked with his name three times. The C.S., the signature and the oval. I have two or three that also have the SC size designation. I just got odd ball "Castello" grade from Italy with a fairly unique Epoca carving but with a smooth shank marked with an odd looking dealer mark and a large block M.V.. I can't tell for sure If it has a Ivory or Lucite bar.?
 
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burleyboy

Part of the Furniture Now
Jul 30, 2019
862
4,473
Europe
Carlo Scotti. Most of my Epoca's are marked with his name three times. The C.S., the signature and the oval. I have two or three that also have the SC size designation. I just got odd ball "Castello" grade from Italy with a fairly unique Epoca carving but with a smooth shank marked with an odd looking dealer mark and a large block M.V.. I can't tell for sure If it has a Ivory or Lucite bar.?

Thanks for sharing your expertise again, Dave! I had already suspected the meaning of „S.C.“, but considered it a bit weird, as it is, how you said, one of three times, Scotti has his name on the pipe.

And congrats to your new aquisition. I hope you can solve the mysteries of the stamp and the white bar!

The one I got is the first I got to see in nature and now I even more understand your passion about the Epoca grade! I‘m very honoured to have this pipe now as it is not only a very special Castello, but formerly belonged to Fishnbanjo. As far as I can tell, it does have a Lucite bar.

12325
 

pappymac

Lifer
Feb 26, 2015
3,268
4,261
Look up Robert C Hamlin's Castello guide. That was one of my go to pages.

I wish I could have nailed down some solid information. I had Italian sources who knows Radice, Ascorti and Coppo try to get any information they could, I had a few simple, straight forward questions to get started and I got nothing.?
I've searched for Hamlin's Castello guide but the link I found on pipedia.org comes up "Page Can't Be Found". I'm hoping to find out more information on the Sea Rock Briars with the π stamp.
 

burleyboy

Part of the Furniture Now
Jul 30, 2019
862
4,473
Europe
It's a while ago, since I have read the above article, but I think, it does not mention the "Pi" stamp. Although, the description of this pipe, gives a good definition:

 

daveinlax

Charter Member
May 5, 2009
1,989
2,651
WISCONSIN
I'm hoping to find out more information on the Sea Rock Briars with the π stamp.
The Pi stamp denotes some kind of decorative modification to the pipe. It's fairly common and an upcharge on the pricelist. I'd have to research when it started but I guess it was in the mid/late 90's around the time when we lost shape numbers. IMO some of the Pi mods look pretty good but many look they where just working around a flaw. ?
 
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