Gamboni Contrast Sandblasted Billiard Estate Briar Pipe, Italian Estates

Description

Italy’s Gian Maria Gamboni is a rather elusive figure within pipe-making. He first took up pipe-making in the mid-2000s, having been inspired by the pipes of Paolo Becker and Massimo Musico. At the time, Becker & Musico operated a store in Gamboni’s home city of Rome, and when the former parted ways, Gamboni was hired by Musico and became part of the workshop that produced the latter’s Foundation line. Gamboni would later begin making pipes under his own name, achieving considerable success both in Italy and abroad, such as in the United States and even Denmark. In recent years, however, Gamboni has been far less active, appearing to have stepped back from pipe-making altogether. The popularity of Gamboni pipes has nonetheless endured, with their rarity only adding to their coveted status.

My friends in Italy tell me that Gamboni hasn’t made pipes for quite a while now, which is sad to think about. He was a master of both conventional and unconventional shapes, but what always drew me to his work were his instantly recognizable contrast stains. This was back in the 2010s, and while contrast stains had been around for a long time by that point, Gamboni’s technique almost seemed to be something entirely different. This was, to my eye, most evident in his sandblasted finishes, which masterfully accentuated the briar patterns underneath to create a kind of tiger-stripe effect. This featherweight, pencil shank billiard is no different, with the added ring grain creating a visual symphony all over its stummel. The stem is hand cut cumberland, which is a perfect final touch.

The condition is great. Very small amount of inner back rim darkening.

 

Details:

Length: 5.6″ / 142.2mm

Bowl Width: 0.64 / 16.25mm

Bowl Depth: 1.46″ / 37.08mm

Weight: 1.0oz / 30g