Ser Jacopo 2 x Maxima S2 Sandblasted Bulldog Estate Briar Pipe

Description

Ser Jacopo is likely the most famous contemporary example of high-grade, workshop-made Italian pipes. It also belongs to a very special tradition in Italian pipe-making, having been established by Giancarlo Guidi and Bruno Sordini after the two had left another great Italian workshop, Mastro de Paja. Together, Guidi and Sordini created a brand of pipes that reflected their Renaissance sensibilities – even the figurehead of Ser Jacopo happens to be taken from a painting of a nobleman from centuries past – one that would soon become esteemed for creating unique and beautiful tobacco pipes that smoked just as well as they looked.

Originally, Ser Jacopo used the Latin word “Maxima” to designate its over-sized pipes. But, as these pipes became even larger, another designation was required to distinguish between, for example, an extra large Ser Jacopo, and an extra, extra large one. Rather than overcomplicate things, Ser Jacopo simply used the same “Maxima” designation, with the larger the pipe, the more “Maxima”s stamped on it. I’d be tempted to call this Ser Jacopo a “pocket magnum,” though that really depends on the size of your pockets. It is, after all, an exceedingly stout bulldog, and though it is “only” six and a half inches in length, its bowl is quite massive, with a chamber almost an inch wide and over two inches deep. As a “cherry on top,” the pipe is impressively sandblasted, with the briar’s grain being brought into sharp relief. It is very much reminiscent of early English pipes, actually, such as Dunhill or Charatan, making for a highly enjoyable synthesis of national styles.

The condition is very good. Some general wear to the inner rim, but I don’t note anything beyond that.

Details:

Length: 6.5″ / 165.1mm

Bowl Width: 0.96 / 24.38mm

Bowl Depth: 2.06″ / 52.32mm

Weight: 3.5oz / 100g