Castello Old Sea Rock KKKK 32 Canadian Estate Briar Pipe, Italian Estates

Description

Founded in 1947 by Carlo Scotti, Castello quickly became known for producing some of the finest smoking pipes in the world. Over the years, the people involved in making Castello pipes has changed – such as Luigi Radice and Sergio Ascorti, who developed their skills in the Cantu workshop before leaving to start Caminetto, or the handing of the reigns of the company to Francisco ‘Kino’ Coppo after Scotti’s passing – but the superlative quality of Castello pipes has not. It is not without reason that Castello is known as ‘the Italian Dunhill.’

Castello’s Sea Rock Briar is arguably the make’s most renowned finish. Plenty of Italian makes rusticate their pipes, and plenty of makes do it in a granular, pebble-dash style like the Sea Rock Briar. But the Sea Rock Briar finish still manages to stand above almost all others in its popularity. I like it a lot, too. But I like the Old Sea Rock even better. While the Sea Rock Briar is stained near-black, the Old Sea Rock is closer to brick-red with a darker, fumed rim. This one is a large, wider-chambered iteration of the make’s shape 32 Canadian, and judging by the uppercase “K” size stamping, it was made somewhere between the end of the 1960s and the early-1980s. So, it’s also an older Old Sea Rock, one made back when Carlo Scotti himself oversaw Castello’s production.

The condition is great. There looks to be some very slight finish fading on the rim, but that’s it. The pipe comes with its original sleeve.

 

Details:

Length: 6″ / 152.4mm

Bowl Width: 0.92 / 23.36mm

Bowl Depth: 1.53″ / 38.86mm

Weight: 1.6oz / 46g