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Those who were around during the 2010s may remember Luciano pipes. They were the creation of Luca di Piazza, owner of the now seemingly defunct Italian retailer NeatPipes, and were very well received when they made their American debut. Produced in partnership with Radice, and with some designs co-created with GL Pease, Luciano became a…
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Originally trained as a woodworker, Nashville’s Zack Hamric took up pipe making as a hobbyist in the late 20th century. Like many an American artisan during that time, his output was largely Danish-influenced freehands. After a long hiatus, Hamric resumed his pipe making in the 2010s, ready to approach the craft as a professional. Hamric’s…
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While China has long been associated with cheaper factory pipes, a new generation of artisans and workshops have emerged over the past decade, producing some genuinely excellent pipes. HS Studio is an example of the latter, being a Hong Kong workshop dedicated to crafting handmade briars, typically in shapes and styles reminiscent of the post-war…
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Sebastian Heck is part of younger generation of highly skilled artisans to have emerged from Germany in recent years. Based in Heidelberg, Heck took up pipe smoking—and, ultimately, pipe-making—as part of a conscious effort toward slowing down in an otherwise constantly accelerating modern world. Like many pipe-makers, Heck took his first steps into the craft as a…
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If you were to ask me how to best describe the pipes of Czech artisan Martin Čermák, I’d probably point to one of his Rhodesian shapes as a good indication. He’s got a real knack for playing with proportions, with this one showing off his predilection for shorter, stubbier designs that nonetheless carry a great…
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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…
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If you were to ask me how to best describe the pipes of Czech artisan Martin Čermák, I’d probably point to one of his Rhodesian shapes as a good indication. He’s got a real knack for playing with proportions, with this one showing off his predilection for shorter, stubbier designs that nonetheless carry a great…
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A graduate of Italy’s prestigious Academia della Pipa, Michele Sottocasa has been making pipes for over a decade under the la Biota name. Prior to becoming a pipe-maker, Sottocasa trained and worked as a designer and art director, and la Biota pipes continue this drive towards a distinct aesthetic vision. The name, ‘la Biota,’ originally…