Mastro de Paja Smooth Bent Dublin Estate Briar Pipe, 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.

The “Pesaro School” inaugurated by workshops such as that of Mastro de Paja may be thought of in a similar way to the various Danish schools and their associated locales, such as Svendborg or Copenhagen, in the 1960s and 1970s. In both instances there are common motifs, whether in the form of shapes, finishes, and styles, alongside a shared commitment to expanding traditional ideas of what a pipe can be. This Mastro de Paja, for example, is a taller, broader, but still very classical, rendition of the Dublin shape, with a very Italian blonde stain and use of briar stem inlays. There’s plenty of flame grain and bird’s-eye that the pipe’s design makes good use of, without needing to stray too far outside of convention.

The condition is very good. Some inner rim darkening, minor handling marks, and a small, superficial briar imperfection atop the shank.

 

Details:

Length: 5.6″ / 142.2mm

Bowl Width: 0.91 / 23.11mm

Bowl Depth: 1.93″ / 49.02mm

Weight: 2.2oz / 64g