Ser Jacopo Senecta Maxima Sandblasted Bulldog Estate Briar Pipe, Italian Estates, 9mm

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.

As I’ve said before, Ser Jacopo’s mixture of Latin and Italian nomenclature is often less to do with meaning than it is use. In this instance, “Maxima” is indeed associated with largeness in Latin, which Ser Jacopo uses to identify pipes of a significantly great stature; “senecta” in the original Latin is more to do with the property of being old. As mentioned, though, it’s use that counts here. In Ser Jacopo’s portfolio, “Senecta” pertains to the design elements of pipes, and in particular to a style of sterling silver mount. Perhaps Giancarlo Guidi intended the term to connote to “old fashioned,” as the faux spigot mount here is indeed rather classically inclined. It’s also quite rare, as the Senecta’s distinct ornamentation seems to solely feature on pipes with diamond shanks, such as bulldogs. I think I’ve seen around a dozen in total, and that’s over the course of many years. It’s nice to have one land on my desk, especially as the “cherry on top” of this stout, and quite Italian, ring grain sandblast bulldog.

The condition is very good. Some minor wear to the rim and slight handling marks. The pipe is chambered to allow for 9mm filters, whether charcoal, balsa, or meerschaum, and should fit an adapter/reducer if non-filtered use is preferred.

 

Details:

Length: 5.8″ / 147.3mm

Bowl Width: 0.89 / 22.60mm

Bowl Depth: 1.58″ / 40.13mm

Weight: 2.6oz / 76g