Talamona Roccia Rusticated Dublin Estate Briar Pipe, Italian Estates

Description

Talamona is an Italian workshop situated in Italy’s historic pipe-making province of Varese. The make was founded by artisan Cesare Talamona, who oversaw production of Talamona pipes from its founding in 1970, until his retirement in 2007. Since 2007, production of Talamona pipes has been overseen by Paolo Croci, another Italian artisan, also known for being one half of the Pipa Croci make.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the Italians sure know how to rusticate. From Savinelli to Castello, from Becker to Viprati, it is a veritable tradition in the history of Italy to make high quality rusticated pipes. This one, from Talamona, is a little different to those mentioned. Not because it isn’t high quality, but because the finish here is not the typical, pebble-dash rustication, but rather a much finer, micro-rustication, presumably with a very different tool to the one used by many others. It is more reminiscent of England’s Ferndown, or perhaps Denmark’s Brakner or Kent Rasmussen, but in a sandy hue that is, on the other hand, far more at home in Italy. A very nice pipe altogether, and one that looks, based on the stamping, to be one of Cesare Talomona’s, made before his retirement (as far as I know, the more recent pipes are stamped with a reference to Croci, alongside the typical nomenclature).

The condition is very good. Some slight darkening on the rim.

 

Details:

Length: 5.6″ / 142.2mm

Bowl Width: 0.97 / 24.63mm

Bowl Depth: 1.70″ / 43.18mm

Weight: 2.2oz / 64g