I had the chance to shake hands with the great Luigi Viprati in Chicago last month and was totally star-struck, haha. I probably had a dumb look on my face as he spoke nothing but Italian to Tommy Ascorti who was by my side translating! Viprati brought some incredible pieces with him to the show and I was able to cherry pick what I thought was the absolute finest of the bunch like this V.I.P. grade straight grain pseudo-Skater shape that he carved just last year and has yet to see flame; look at that grain!!! The V.I.P. series/grade features some of his finest pipes in extraordinary shapes. This Skater is not your traditional but does show the character but could also maybe even be called a Cup & Saucer! The bowl is hefty though not overly large, freehand Dublin style with massively thick walls and a convex inflated rim opening to a deep chamber though modest in width. The heel has a crease and juts out to the front while to the rear a pronounced transition to an almost half bent diamond shank that meets the original acrylic saddle stem with straight bit and signature silver inlaid logo. Finish appears to be natural, no hiding any flaws here with this gorgeous briar displaying exquisite 360 degree angel hair fine straight grain that looks painted on with a fine brush and the rim loaded in birdseye! Awaiting its first smoke, this high grade Viprati is for the utmost discerning collector of the finer things in life!

Nomenclature: L. VIPRATI, HAND MADE ITALY, V.I.P., 2023, N.21

Dimensions (approximate): 5 3/4" Long, 2 1/8" Tall, 22mm Chamber Width, 1 3/4" Chamber Depth

Condition: New!

Weight: 60g

Filter: None

**I buy individual pipes or entire collections, please reach out for details!

Be sure to check out my other fine and rare pipes at auction. Follow me as a seller to be updated first on my fresh listings!

I aim to offer the best selection of pipes covering all makes and grades, truly something for every smoker and collector! All of my pipes I personally restore, sanitize, and ready them to smoke upon arrival at your doorstep! I take the utmost care in my restoration methods to ensure the pipe is as close to its original state as possible and never compromise. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoy bringing them back to life! 

Shipping: 

Domestic is $10 via USPS Priority. 

International: GREAT NEWS!!! eBay has FINALLY changed their international shipping to be friendly across the board. No more Global Shipping Program with outrageous fees! Pipes valued up to $500, International is $10 for me to ship to the eBay hub and then allows for YOU the buyer to make decisions on paying customs fees! I'm very pleased about this and hope it helps to cut down on costs for international customers. Pipes valued over $500 are shipped via USPS Express for $60 to Asia and Europe. Canada is $30 for Priority and all others please request a quote. 

Restoration Methods: I have been restoring pipes for 16 years and have taken bits and pieces from many guys whom I consider the best there ever was in the business and built upon it with my own experience and tricks of the trade. Each pipe is first cleaned by removing all cake, making the chamber smooth and round again if necessary, removing all gunk in the shank and stem with alcohol, then exterior cleaning and polishing of the stummel and stem with no oxidation left but at the same time leaving the vulcanite or acrylic and any logos intact. My restorations end with the pipe looking like new and being completely free from previous signs of use. I do not use salt/alcohol treatments in my bowls but rather if the pipe smells of prior tobacco I will put it in my ozone chamber to make neutral. Lastly, many guys ask me "how are your pipes so shiny!!??" I lightly use the fluffy edge of my white diamond buffing wheel to clean and restore stummels which removes all grime and oils while restoring the original factory luster. I then hand buff and finish with a flannel wheel with high quality carnauba applying multiple coats as they do at the factory as well. This results in the pipe looking as new and will keep it's finish with a simple terry cloth hand buffing at home. Enjoy!

-Deadmanspipes