Mastro de Paja Rusticated Bent Apple Estate Briar Pipe, 9mm, Italian Estates

Description

Like Castello, Mastro de Paja holds a special place in the world of Italian high-grade pipe workshops. Founded in 1972 by Giancarlo Guidi, the MdP team was soon joined by Giannino Spadoni and Bruto Sordini with the Guidi and Spadoni at the helm of the company until 1981. Guidi then left with Sordini to found Ser Jacopo, and Sordini would later leave Ser Jacopo to found Don Carlos. Spadoni, on the other hand, stayed at MdP until he also left, after which he founded Fiamma di Re. Today, Mastro de Paja is guided by Alberto Montini, with the workshop being known for both the manufacture of some of Italy’s most admired pipes, and for having launched the careers of some of its most respected artisans.

There is something special about this Mastro de Paja pipe, but I’ll admit that I don’t know exactly what it is. The pipe has what look to be two dates stamped on it: 2002 and 2012. This leads me to presume that the pipe was made in 2012, and furthermore that it was made to commemorate a ten-year anniversary of something. But what? The pipe is chambered for 9mm filters, so it’s possible that it was made to mark ten years of operation for a German pipe shop, but it may also relate to Mr Montini’s tenure as head of the workshop. If you happen to know, please let me know.

The pipe itself is a quintessentially Italian, rusticated bent apple, with the silver finery associated with modern Mastro de Paja pipes.

The condition is great. There’s some inner rim darkening, but nothing major. As mentioned, it is chambered for 9mm filters as standard, but should take an adapter if non-filtered use is preferred.

 

Details:

Length: 6″ / 152.4mm

Bowl Width: 0.86 / 21.84mm

Bowl Depth: 1.5″ / 38.10mm

Weight: 2.3oz / 68g