Viprati 4 Clover Smooth Freehand Sitter Estate Briar Pipe, Italian Estates

Description

Much like in Denmark or Japan, many of the great names in Italian artisan pipe-making got their start working for other greats in their famous workshops. This was the case for artisans such as Giancarlo Guidi, Luigi Radice, Sergio Ascorti, and Maurizio Tombari. Luigi Viprati, on the other hand, is one of the few self-taught Italian pipe-makers of the 20th century to have reached the same heights as such contemporaries. First picking up the craft in 1972, Viprati would ultimately become one of the defining names in Italian pipes, which he remains to this day.

Viprati pipes are graded using the stamp of a four leaf clover, or quadrifoglio, with grades ranging from one quadrifoglio to five quadrifogli. This particular Viprati is a highly respectable four quadrifogli. It is a very organic, straight grain freeform piece, straddling traditional Dublin, panel, poker, and cherrywood shapes, resulting in a sitter that is both highly original and a little reminiscent of the old Charatan freehand workshop. The pipe is dressed in a quintessentially Italian, light blonde stain, and furnished with an engraved, sterling silver collar.

The condition is great. Some inner rim darkening.

 

Details:

Length: 6.2″ / 157.4mm

Bowl Width: 0.98 / 24.89mm

Bowl Depth: 1.69″ / 42.92mm

Weight: 2.9oz / 84g