ITALIAN PIPES

BREBBIA - Romanza

I purchased this Brebbia from Knoxville Cigar & Smoking Pipe Company (http://www.knoxcigar.com - pipes@esper.com). The multi-colored ring treatment on the stem is a very nice plus to this already quite attractive and, I must add, excellent smoking pipe. Holding the pipe, it looks and feels considerably smaller than it actually is. It is 5 3/4 inches long by 2 9/16 inches tall. At its widest point, the bowl is 2 1/4 inches long by 1 3/4 inches wide. The nomenclature reads, "brebbia, ROMANZA, ITALY, 6021." The "Brebbia" is, of course, entirely in lower-case script.

DiMONTE - Classica

I purchased this elegantly styled pipe from Habana Premium Cigar Shop (http://www.pipesandcigars.com). I really like the smoothly flowing lines on this pipe.

ERCOLE BOGNI - Freehand

I purchased this olive wood pipe from The Italian Pipe (http://www.theitalianpipe.com - tarek@theitalianpipe.com). Here are the specifications followed by the in-depth description provided on the site. Every pipe on this site has an equally lively and readable write-up. The numerous photos for each pipe plus the extensive list of specifications coupled with the commentaries make this one of the most thorough and readable pipe sites on the internet. ERCOLE BOGNI - Freehand Mouthpiece: Acrylic  ~   Could be used with a 9mm filter? Yes   ~   Fitted with a filter adapter? Yes Pipe Code: EB038 Shape: Freehand Weight: 60g / 2-1/8 oz Chamber ĝ: 22mm  --  Chamber Depth: 60mm  --  Wall Thickness:  ->13mm  --  Cleaner Passes? No          "COMMENT: "I know I couldn't do better here than a straightforward 'Freehand', which it surely is. Of course, I could have said it is a Freeform Horn, but again, this gives only one aspect of the design and ignores many others. The most impressive feature here is the incredible grain. It's all Ring Grain that is unbelievably uniform, as if it was hand painted. Look how the grain unites the shank and the bowl. The pipe is so, so light in weight, especially when you realize how large the bowl is and the tobacco chamber. The mouthpiece is another story, and though it looks identical to Cumberland, I believe it is acrylic, which means you will never have to worry about the mouthpiece losing its luster. Ercole made a thin and elegant olive wood band and incorporated it into the mouthpiece. The pipe is extremely well drilled and the draught hole is dead center and lands right on the base of the chamber. So, how come a cleaner doesn't go all the way?! Well, Ercole made the shank with a moisture well, similar to of the Peterson System and to that used by some of the top pipe makers like Baldo Baldi. I've measured the gap there is between the tip of the tenon when in the shank and the beginning of the draught hole, and believe it or not, it is a mere 1mm, which tells you how well the pipe was drilled. This is a truly great pipe in all its aspects: The shape, the grain, and above all, the way the whole design was executed."