Mauro Armellini Rusticated Volcano Estate Briar Pipe, Italian Estates

Description

Armellini is something of a hidden gem in the world of Italian pipe-making. It is also a make that deserves more recognition, given the singular contributions of its namesake, Mauro Armellini, to Italian pipe history. Mauro himself began his pipe-making career at the Rossi factory in the 1960s, before it was acquired by Savinelli. Later, Mauro worked for Savinelli, where he played an instrumental role in developing many of its iconic rustication styles, such as the coveted Corallo finish. After leaving Savinelli, Mauro created his own make, Mauro Armellini. In his workshop in Barasso, in northern Italy, he crafted these pipes alongside his four daughters. After Mauro passed in 2004, his daughter Wilma took the reins of the Armellini workshop, which continues to produce hand made pipes in both traditional and modern freehand styles.

I don’t think I’d ever come across an Armellini pipe before I started selling estates, but I’ve handled a fair few in the years since I did, and I don’t think I’ve come across one I didn’t like. This one is nicely adventurous, almost like something I’d more expect from the Danes (or their American progeny), but with enough traditional sensibility to keep it within the Italian mold. It is a volcano, with a very Italian rocky rustication, but it also has a drastic, sweeping curvature, almost like an Oom Paul, a tall, long stem—again, more like an Oom Paul, or at least some variety of Dutch billiard—that has been flared and beaded during cutting—more like the Danes. It also has a nice acrylic ferrule that I’d guess is meant to imitate horn. In any case, it’s a great addition.

The condition is very good. Minor rim darkening and a couple of small scratches on the bowl, but nothing major.

 

Details:

Length: 6.2″ / 157.4mm

Bowl Width: 0.81 / 20.57mm

Bowl Depth: 1.55″ / 39.37mm

Weight: 2.4oz / 70g