Piero Vitale Sandblasted Panel Billiard w/ Maple (Two Star) Handmade Briar Pipe, New

Description

As a child, Piero Vitale spent many an afternoon in the workshop of his grandfather, who was a carpenter and luthier. This proclivity for working with his hands translated into a number of artistic pursuits as he grew up, including painting and wood carving. Then Vitale was introduced to the world of handmade pipes by a friend and was immediately fascinated. The work of masters such as Tom Eltang and Kent Rasmussen showed that pipes could be true works of art while also being precisely engineered smoking instruments. For over a decade, Vitale has crafted his own hand made pipes, developing a distinct style that expertly balances form and function. This has led to partnerships with several Italian pipe companies, for which Vitale has provided designs, but his greatest achievements continue to be those pipes that he makes by hand alone in his workshop, in a small village in Lombardy.

The panel billiard, or foursquare, is one of Piero Vitale’s signature shapes, which is quite an achievement if you think about it. After all, foursquare shapes have been a minor fixture in pipe design for over a century, so making it one’s own is not an easy task. Vitale’s foursquares are, however, pure Vitale. As seen here, they’re shorter and more compact than say, a Dunhill EK, with shanks that are also far narrower. Yet their bowls are broad and almost imposing, especially in juxtaposition with the rest of the design. Vitale’s great achievement in that regard is creating such a design that nonetheless possesses a profound synergy, with nothing that looks out of place.

 

Details:

Length: 5″ / 127.0mm

Bowl Width: 0.76 / 19.30mm

Bowl Depth: 1.88″ / 47.75mm

Weight: 1.5oz / 44g