Italy is known for art, beauty, fashion, food, music, literature, architecture, design and a hundred other qualities of culture and civilization. So not surprisingly, some of the best pipes produced today are made in the small factories and workshops scattered throughout the country.
One of the most expensive Italian pipes I ever bought was a beautiful straight-grain calabash made by Ser Jacopo. I paid Bob Hamlin $550 for the pipe, and it will always have a special place in my collection. It is my absolute favorite "Sherlock Holmes pipe." I want to point out that I have bought a handful of pipes, and a closetful of tobacco, from Bob Hamlin over the years, and I have never regretted a single purchase. That is definitely the sign of someone I would recommend doing business with.
There have been several books devoted exclusively to Italian pipes, including Savinelli, Brebbia, Mastro de Paja, Radice, Il Ceppo, Ardor, Amorelli, Don Carlos, and many others--too many, in fact, to mention. But one of the very best names, without question, is Castello. Many American collectors consider Castello the only serious rival to Dunhill when it comes to pipes made in a factory, and I know a good number who regard Castello as the best in the world.
Regardless of where you come down on this debate, I think we can all agree that Castello pipes are high quality. One of the things that appeals most to me about Castello pipes is their opening. Their air holes inside the pipes and mouthpieces are frequently very close to the dimensions that I have written about in the past. My only complaint is that their mouthpieces are a little thick for my taste, so I always have them thinned out--and theirs is an acrylic that I find reasonably comfortable, though my preference is vulcanite.
On a trip to Rome in March, I visited Marco Parascenzo at his store, Novelli. Marco is extremely knowledgeable about pipes, so it is not surprising that Castello entrusts its distribution in the United States to Marco, and he in turn entrusts Bob Hamlin of Virginia with the responsibility of getting Castello pipes to as many American collectors as possible.
Marco has a charismatic smile and a natural friendliness about him. He travels to the United States three times each year--for the Retail Tobacco Dealers Association's annual convention and for the annual pipe shows in Chicago and Richmond. He shook his head and laughed when I suggested that he attend a Los Angeles pipe show. Considering how weary I was feeling after flying across the ocean, I was totally sympathetic.