Contemporary design

November 2021

From the moment the briar pipe is made by machine, different players determine the market supply successively. Initially, France sets the tone. Rather unexpectedly, Ireland comes up since 1900. After that, other countries, such as England, dominate. Denmark takes a leading role in the 1970s, mainly because of their freehands. Subsequently, the Italian pipes stand out for their quality and attractive design. This month's pipe is such an Italian product and shows various influences that make it fit in with the time of its creation. Its heavy shaped appearance is based on the German taste, where on average smokers use larger tobacco pipes. The applied 9-millimeter filter system is also propagated from there. The hexagonal bowl is something of all times, but its execution is always different. We rarely see as tough and dominant as here and then in a pyramid shape called vulcano. If we look at the mounting, we see a development there too. Aluminum has long been undesirable, silver or brass were preferred. After the year 2000, aluminum suddenly becomes popular. The second metal band on the stem section is of course copied from the army mount that was invented generations earlier. Here the second strap is not applied for strength but purely for decoration, although it also camouflages the filter space. Even the material of the stem changed over time, hard rubber was exchanged for acrylic. It is shinier and always stays black, unfortunately it is a bit harder and the smoker notices that in his jaw muscles. This pipe was made by Sir Del Nobile Pipes in Italy, a factory with a remarkable history. It was set up by the New York firm Frank for the production of their top-quality pipes. Ultimately, control from America to Tuscany was a problem and the cooperation was discontinued. In any case, this pipe is a good example of a beautiful handmade product of international design from the beginning of the twenty-first century.

Amsterdam Pipe Museum APM 24.299d