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Rising above the stereotype

Many collectors regard Italian purchases as a transitory step in a briar connoisseur's development. Despite the exorbitant price tags attached to a Baldi or even a top Ser Jac, there's a feeling that Italy's best pipes are startling rather than perfect, stylish rather than truly unique.

Journalist and translator Laurence Steinman has lived in Italy for most of his life. He's a part-time estate pipe vendor and has become an ardent champion of Italian high-grades. As he explains in this interview, his appreciation of his host country's pipes is a fairly recent development.

Italy is known for comparatively affordable hand mades produced by high-output carvers. How hard is it for a true high-grader to beat that image and come across as the equal of the Danes and Germans?

LS: It's hard. As you imply in your question 'images' or stereotypes are hard to shake. Danish pipe-makers have built themselves a well-deserved reputation as a nation of high-graders. At times, however, this stereotype seems to catapult any Danish pipe maker directly into the realm of high-grades.

What is objectively true is that many Danish artisans make pipes either as a hobby or as a second job. This means time is of less consequence - and perfection and self-satisfaction (again, at least for some) is paramount.

On the contrary, just about every Italian pipe maker I can think of relies on pipe making as a main, and often only, source of income. This means that spending an extra day rusticating a beautiful straight grain with a small flaw is almost impracticable.

Then again, I've fallen back onto stereotypes! While what I say above is self-evident with many Italian pipe makers, there are names that stand out: Baldo Baldi, Paolo Becker and Maurizio Tombari's Le Nuvole have easily risen above this stereotype, thanks to the high quality of their pipes.

I haven't mentioned Germany, yet. Germany seems to reflect 'reality' more 'realistically', so to speak. German pipe-makers seem to represent the entire spectrum, rising above the 'high-grade' or 'medium-grade' stereotypes. Just to name the few that come to mind: Grand master Rainer Barbi is a top notch high-grader, Joura and Ingo Garbe certainly are giving it a go, but there also are plenty of middle-grade carvers.

Even Paolo and Maurizio have no qualms about using acrylic stems - something high-graders elsewhere tend to avoid. Is this not a barrier to universal recognition?

LS: This is another important point. The general consensus among many smokers and collectors is that a high-grade pipe must have a vulcanite mouthpiece. However, is this necessarily so? Is it just another domino trend?

Three years ago, I would have whole-heartedly endorsed this view, but I no longer do.

Like most smokers, when I first ventured into this hobby I rapidly began accumulating Italian pipes, which were readily available as I live in Rome. Then I discovered, and fell in love with, pre-1970s English pipes. The soft vulcanite mouthpieces on my old Dunhills, Charatans and Comoys won me over completely, and for nearly ten years I hardly smoked anything else.

A couple of years ago, starting to get bored with classic shapes with no grain or 'character', I began rummaging through my Italian pipes and discovered that not all acrylic stems were the same. As a matter of fact, I noticed that some pipes were uncomfortable due to the weight of the briar bowl rather than the acrylic stem itself.

I rediscovered the light and well-balanced pipes, which smoked just fine. The acrylic mouthpieces even provide benefits: the stems don't oxidize and a thin acrylic stem naturally helps one - or me - not to clamp down on the bit.

Then, about a year ago, I purchased a huge collection of 80 high-grade pipes and my fancy was immediately caught - among the many pre-war Sasienis, Bangs and Ilsteds - by a handful of outstanding looking Paolo Beckers. These pipes are light, well balanced, have stunning grain and wafer-thin acrylic stems. These stems are made to rest effortlessly between your teeth … so much so that I am slowly but surely developing a preference for them over my old beloved vulcanite!

So, in the end, acrylic stems did not represent a barrier for me, but others may continue to prefer vulcanite. However, if your pipe-smoking history resembles mine, you may want to give the better Italian pipes a second go.

You've said that people like Baldi, Tombari of Le Nuvole and Paolo Becker constitute the real high-grade tier in Italy. But what about Castello?

LS: Baldi and Paolo Becker, who have both been making pipes for many years, are certainly the most important Italian high-grade pipe makers, along with - to a certain extent - grand master Radice, whose acclaim may have been partially tarnished by his high output.

Maurizio Tombari is a relative newcomer, but his product speaks for itself. Maurizio's limited production, innovative designs, his care and his attention to detail certainly point to him as the very talented newcomer to Italy's small circle of high-graders.

Castello makes many beautiful pipes, but I do not consider them 'high-grades' as such. First of all, they turn out very many pipes. Naturally, this is also due to the fact that Castello has many carvers. However, in my opinion, the designation 'high-grade' carries a connotation of a high-standard, limited-production made by a single carver. Castello makes a world-class quality product, but not an exclusive product deserving the 'high-grade' mark, at least as I interpret the term.

People like Marco Biagini also come to mind. Definitely, his best pipes meet all the requirements for the upper tier of carving. Yet he markets them under the same brand as his simpler 'smokers'. Do you think this strategy can be successful?

LS: I don't know very much about Moretti pipes and Marco Biagini. What I do know is that this brand is still in its 'new' infancy with Marco at the helm.

He may be able to pull it off like Paolo Becker and Maurizio Tombari, who also provide a reasonably varied price range, but so far he hasn't established a reputation as fast as Maurizio has, nor as consolidated as Paolo Becker and Baldo Baldi's.

Italians have been accused of obsessing about straight grain at the expense of flawlessness.

LS: It's true. This brings us back to your first question and the fact that nearly every Italian pipe-maker makes a living on pipes. There is a big difference between making pipes to satisfy one's creative instincts and raise a little extra income and producing pipes as a means of supporting one's family.

When someone like Kent Rasmussen finds a flaw in an incredible straight-grain, he probably rusticates it in his inimitable fashion and sells it for a price that is comparable to that of smooth - and which is certainly justified by the time-consuming process that yields such exquisite products. A pipe maker in Italy (or Germany for that matter: look at Barbi's elongated grading system) may prefer to grade it as an 'A-' or 'B+' rather than an 'A+' straight grain and sell it for X, rather than sandblast it and sell it for half as much. It's simple economics - as long as the pipe is honestly graded.

However, there are Italian pipe makers who don't adhere to this simplistic economic reasoning. I've said it before and am happy to repeat it. Treat yourself to a Paolo Becker, choose a Le Nuvole or - carefully - select your Castello or Radice and you'll have stunning straight grain without flaws - and beautiful sandblasts.

If you could only name one, who would you consider Italy's rising star?

LS: I am not aware of any 'rising stars' as such in Italy.

I have already mentioned Maurizio Tombari, who in less than ten years has certainly made a name and reputation for himself with 'Le Nuvole'. However, the true news, and those who have read your recent interview with him may have picked up on it, is that after nearly ten years of dividing his day between the workshop and shop, Paolo Becker has made the big decision and has decided to dedicate his entire working day to Becker pipes. With that kind of commitment, the rising star may well be an old acquaintance.

(December 28, 2003)

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