PIERLUIGI - Group 1

I purchased this gorgeous 6" long, 2 3/4" high Pierluigi pipe from Dino Puffin's Pipes and Smoking Accessories, Tabaccheria Havana. The tobacco chamber is 2 1/2" deep and 7/8" in diameter. With my flair for the unique, I find that extra triangular piece of briar on the shank to be especially attractive. The green stem is a delightful change from the ordinary too and very tastefully done.The website address for Dino Puffin's Pipes and Smoking Accessories is http://www.dinopuffin.it and the e-mail address is info@dinopuffin.it . Dino carries a very large assortment of fine pipes.

PIPA CROCI - 20th Anniversary

I purchased this Pipa Croci Artistica Amica 20th Anniversary pipe from Le Pipe (http://www.lepipe.it/inglese/index_inglese.html - info@lepipe.it) in Italy. Here is what Le Pipe has written about Pipa Croci in general and this 20th Anniversary pipe series specifically: "Pipa Croci pipes are created by Paolo & Gianni Croci. The quantity of pipes created is limited to only about 3000/year. Each pipe is meticulously hand carved with aged Italian plateau briar, and is unique and highly prized by discriminating collectors. One of the best new values in Italian pipes. Manufactured by hand since 1983. We have included in our web-catalogue, with other new pipes in the old finishes (rusticated, sand, classical, artistic, big fireplace, artistic big fireplace, calumet, calumet big fireplace, calumet 2000, calumet 2000 big fireplace), another finish: 20th Anniversary. A special edition maked by Paolo and Gianni Croci for celebrating the 20th Anniversary of Pipa Croci creation: these last are a limited edition, only 150 pipes." Le Pipe currently has six of these pipes listed on their site. Each pipe shown is different so it is not like a limited number of 150 pipes all similar but numbered sequentially. It is rather 150 pipes, each unique onto itself with its own number but sharing the 20th Anniversary stamp. The pipe came in a very nice 20th Anniversary matching bag and box. Here is what Le Pipe wrote about this pipe of mine: "Description "Pipa Croci Artistica Amica 20th Anniversary #2 of 150. "Tobacco chamber diameter 20 mm. "External bowl diameter 45 mm. "L. 155 mm. "H 90 mm. "w. 85 gr." A real Italian treat is waiting for those who haven't yet visited Le Pipe's site! They carry seventeen different pipe lines from Armellini to Viparati and each pipe is clearly photographed. - - - - - - - - - - - - P.S. I copied the following from the Reference Library section of JoE Allen's JoE Pipe site (http://jjallen57.tripod.com/joepipe/ - info@joepipe.com). Under "Pipa Croci Grading, Shapes & Finishes" we find this helpful extra information: "Pipa Croci pipes are created by Paolo & Giannii, from Mantova Italy. The company was founded in 1983 and on each pipe you will find the nomenclature reads (dal 1983). Each and every pipe is hand crafted from aged Italian Plateau Briar. This is a company that makes no two pipes alike and they truly create some masterpieces."   And as the shapes and finishes relate to this pipe, we have: Shape  "Artistica - free form Gran Camino - large bowl" Finish "Amica - smooth medium finish" Please see JoE's site for the complete list on Pipa Croci grading.

SAVINELLI - Autograph, Grade 5

I purchased this breathtaking pipe from DanPipes (http://www.danpipes.dk - info@danpipes.dk). Jesper at Dan Pipes writes, "As I remember the gradings: sandblast Autographs are either ungraded (lowest) or graded from 3 to 5." So this pipe is the top of the sandblast Autograph series and it clearly shows it!

SAVINELLI - Estella Non Pareil 9604

Being 5 1/4" tall with a bowl 2 1/4" in height, this Savinelli Estella Oom-Paul is a nice comfortable size. JoE of JoE Pipe (http://jjallen57.tripod.com/joepipe/ - info@joepipe.com) has informed me that some Oom-Pauls can be a bit more difficult than your average pipe when it comes to passing the pipe cleaner test. Not so with this one as a pipe cleaner passes through it with ease. Though the pipe had never been smoked when I purchased it from JoE, I began breaking it in shortly after it arrived. The pipe is truly an excellent smoker...and a looker too! What more could we ask for in a pipe?