1998 Tom Spanu Sughero Cork Wrapped Billiard Estate Briar Pipe, Italian Estates

Description

After arriving in Varese, Italy, with the intention of becoming a pipe-maker, Tommaso Spanu was taken under the wing of Alberto Paronelli, one of the first modern-Italian master carvers. From here, Tom Spanu was charged with creating the high-grade Clairmont make owned and distributed by Paronelli. He then went on to create pipes under his own name, becoming one of Italy’s most renowned and respected artisans. After crafting pipes for over 50 years, Tommaso Spanu passed away in 2015.

One of Tommaso Spanu’s most distinct pipe-making innovations—and one that helped bolster his reputation as a cult favorite among smokers—was the Sughero. This was a pipe fashioned from briar, then wrapped in Sardinian sughero, or “cork”, bark, as this material holds a special place in Sardinian crafting traditions. Sughero pipes are undoubtedly unique looking, but they are also very good at dispersing heat from the interior bowl of the pipe, due to cork’s porous nature. As was often the case, this Sughero’s briar has still been left partly exposed at its rim, giving a cap-like appearance, as well as showing off the wood’s beautiful bird’s-eye grain.

The condition is great. Chamber slightly over reamed at the rim.

 

Details:

Length: 6.2″ / 157.4mm

Bowl Width: 0.86 / 21.84mm

Bowl Depth: 1.88″ / 47.75mm

Weight: 2.8oz / 80g