Ardor Mercurio Giant Elephant’s Foot Estate Briar Pipe, Unsmoked

Description

Like many Italian workshop brands, Ardor pipes are a family affair. The name itself is an acronym of Angelo Rovera and Dorelio Rovera, father and son pipe-makers who created the brand in 1972. The Rovera family’s history with pipes goes back much further, however, as Angelo’s own father, Francesco, had previously established the Sociedade Rovera pipe company with his brothers in 1911. All Ardor pipes are completely hand-made from briar that has been seasoned for at least 4-5 years, and the brand is noteworthy for its playful and innovative approaches to design. As a result, Ardor pipes are both quintessentially Italian, while also being somewhat different, having a style that is wholly their own.

The Elephant’s Foot (or, simply, Elephant Foot) is not a shape commonly found in Italian pipe-making. It is said to have originated with the great pioneer of Scandinavian pipe design, Bo Nordh, and has in the decades since become a staple for artisans in the Scandinavian tradition. The Rovera family have their own traditions behind them—national and familial—but Dorelio Robera, along with his brother Damiano, have never been afraid to look elsewhere for sources of inspiration. This particular Ardor, from Dorelio, is not only part-Danish and part-Italian (especially the finish); it is also a rare “Giant” size grade. Dressed in the Roveras’ signature, pebble-dash Mercurio finish, it is one of the most unique renditions of the Elephant’s Foot I’ve yet to see, which is quite something given Nordh’s enduring and ubiquitous legacy in contemporary pipe-making.

This Ardor is completely unsmoked. It comes with its original box and sleeve.

 

Details:

Length: 6.8″ / 172.7mm

Bowl Width: 0.95 / 24.13mm

Bowl Depth: 2.18″ / 55.37mm

Weight: 3.3oz / 96g