Posella Grade "F" Tobacco Pipes

The Pipes
Posella Pipes: Grade "F" 1-3 (Fiammata)

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Not only is the Posella family business based in Calabria, the land of the best Italian briar, but the family has also been known for decades to be one of the most experienced suppliers of Calabrian briar. For this reason, all Posella pipes, with no exception, are made out of the best briar available in Calabria today, and considering the high quality of Calabrian briar, it is only logical to conclude that the Posella pipes are made out of the best briar in the whole wide world. In addition, most of the pipes produced today are made of briar that has been seasoning for at least 10+ years.

Pipe Code:	PS019	Price:	CHF 380.00 Convert
Shape:	Plateau Bell	Weight:	75g / 2-21/32 oz
Chamber ų: 21mm -- Chamber Depth: 42mm -- Wall Thickness: ->18mm -- Cleaner Passes? Yes



COMMENT: This shape definition might come as a surprise to you. I bet you that you were thinking of something along the line of the Lovat, and honestly, I don't blame you! You see, first of all the shank is a bit too short, in my opinion, to allow me to describe the pipe as a Lovat. Also, the Dublin bowl shape is too prominent to let the eye drift closer to the Lovat. Of course, what confirms all this confusion with the Lovat is the short, saddle mouthpiece, but I don't think we have enough here to go with the Lovat theory! This pipe, technically and aesthetically speaking, shows one of the rarest of pipe making genius: Giving people the possibility to view the bowl as a separate entity, the shank as a separate entity, and yet, not to be able to set them apart when looking at the shape as a whole. This is evidence of great manuality and workmanship, not to mention an eye trained to concentrate on the smallest of details. The pipe comes in this very warm brown-orange color, which I appreciate a lot. Not only does it bring out the best of the grain, but it also contributes to the overall shape design and complements the beauty of the plateau top.

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Pipe Code:	PS020	Price:	CHF 380.00 Convert
Shape:	1/4 Bent Dublin	Weight:	88g / 3-3/32 oz
Chamber ų: 21.5mm -- Chamber Depth: 40mm -- Wall Thickness: 19mm -- Cleaner Passes? Yes



COMMENT: Have you noticed that most of the shanks on Posella pipes tend to be longer than on similar shapes, made by other makers?! Well, I have, and this confirms to be the quality (and size) of the ebauchons that Posella uses for his pipes. While the bowl is generally round, the outer wall of the bowl (the one across of that facing the shank) is slightly flattened, which makes it quite unusual. Having said that, when you examine the bowl in general, you hardly note the difference, and honestly, I don't know how Posella managed to achieve that! The beautiful Bird's Eye on the bowl top gives us a small reminder of the fickle material called "briarwood", and here I'm referring to the few sandpits visible on that part. The grain around the bowl is mainly Flame Grain, and the same goes for the shank. I love the way the Flame Grain wraps itself around the shank, enshrouding it completely. Finally, and back to the shape, I can't help but point how the very, very tight angle created by the meeting of the bowl and shank, which takes so much skill, patience, and attention to detail. In spite of the large size of the bowl, and its weight, the pipe feels very well balanced when held in the hand. I'm sure that also clenching on the mouthpiece will be as comfortable as possible with such a large pipe.

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Pipe Code:	PS043	Price:	CHF 380.00 Convert
Shape:	Freeform Dublin	Weight:	64g / 2-1/4 oz
Chamber ų: 21.5mm -- Chamber Depth: 40mm -- Wall Thickness: 13mm -- Cleaner Passes? Yes



COMMENT: I know that you might have been a little taken aback by my shape definition. You were probably expecting something along the lines of the Rhodesian or the Bulldog, and I fully understand your expectations and your surprise. I agree that the pipe may at first glance give the impression of being a Freeform Rhodesian, but when you look closely, you start to realize that apart from the two grooves around the bowl, there is very little, if anything, that could make us think of the Rhodesian. Once you have managed to put aside though initial impressions, along with the two grooves, you start to see more and more the Dublin than any other shape. To me, and at the end of the day, the bowl shape (i.e., the Dublin) is a whole lot more important that a small feature of a classic shape (i.e., the two grooves). I cannot tell you how much I like this pipe. It looks so familiar and at the same time, it is obviously quite unique in design; this is a characteristic of a great shape! Apart from the shape and the beautiful grain, I just love this deep, dark brown stain, mixed with delicate streaks of gold! I also like the idea of the tapered, square shank, which adds a very classic and traditional touch to an otherwise innovative shape.

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Pipe Code:	PS044	Price:	CHF 380.00 Convert
Shape:	Freeform Lovat	Weight:	39g / 1-3/8 oz
Chamber ų: 21.5mm -- Chamber Depth: 37mm -- Wall Thickness: 10mm -- Cleaner Passes? Yes



COMMENT: If I had to pick one of the new Posella pipes to add to my personal collection, this would definitely be the one. If you know anything about my pipe preferences and my collection, this should not come as a surprise. After all, the Lovat is my favorite shape, and the Dublin is one of the classic shapes that I have always admired. In other words, this pipe is a dream come true to those of you, like me, who like these two elegance classic shapes. The pipe comes with the bowl of a Dublin and the body of the Lovat. Something that I have to tell you because you can't see it in the pictures is the fact that the briarwood insert is part of the mouthpiece and not the shank. In other words, the shank doesn't have any inserts or extensions. Does the pipe still qualify as a Lovat? Yes, because the bowl measures 44.5mm (1.8") in height, whereas the shank alone measures 51mm (2") in length. Though the difference is not that much, it doesn't allow us to call the pipe a Billiard. If, however, the mouthpiece is in place, and the shank looks a lot longer, the idea of the Lovat body becomes a whole lot more irrefutable. Another reason why I would love to add this pipe to my personal collection is its size. Unlike most Posella pipe, this one here is a of relatively small-medium size, with a tobacco chamber comparable to a Dunhill Group 4-5. The grain is another characteristic that adds a lot of value to the pipe and the reasonable price that is being asked for it, and I hope that you can agree with that when you look at the pictures.

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Pipe Code:	PS045	Price:	CHF 450.00 Convert
Shape:	FF Cherrywood	Weight:	62g / 2-3/16 oz
Chamber ų: 21mm -- Chamber Depth: 49mm -- Wall Thickness: ->18mm -- Cleaner Passes? Yes



COMMENT: If you don't see the reasoning behind my shape definition... I don't blame you!! I was initially thinking of the Dublin or the Bell, but then the fact that the bowl is canted forward and stand-up, led me to what appears to be a logical conclusion: The Cherrywood. I also thought of the Poker, which is bound to come to mind first and before the Cherrywood; however, and again, the canted-forward bowl, for some reason, push me in the direction of the Cherrywood. After all, the Cherrywood comes from the same household as the Poker! While the pipe may seem familiar, I have to admit that it came as a very, very impressive and pleasant surprise to me. I don't recall ever seeing this magical combination of usually mutually exclusive features, such as: Dublin bowl, canted-forward bowl, stand-up, long shank, 1/2 bent pipe, square shank, short, saddle mouthpiece, AND oval bowl. Yes, the bowl is indeed oval measuring 42.5x54mm (1.67x2.13"). Needless to say (but I'll say it anyway), the pipe looks absolutely gorgeous when placed on a flat surface; it's only the base of the bowl that is touching the surface, and the rest of the pipe is elegantly suspended in the air, with as much balance and stability as you would want it to have. Though the pipe can easily be described as Extra Large, I find the overall weight of the pipe quite impressively small. In addition, and thanks to the bend on the shank and the extra comfortable, saddle mouthpiece, I bet you anything that this pipe will be a dream to clench on and enjoy. The grain is a true winner, and it has not be graded "F" for nothing; I love the regularly of the Flame Grain (on both the bowl and shank) and the magnificent Bird's Eye on all of the rest of the pipe. A true masterpiece of Italian craftsmanship!

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Pipe Code:	PS046	Price:	CHF 450.00 Convert
Shape:	Freehand	Weight:	65g / 2-9/32 oz
Chamber ų: 22mm -- Chamber Depth: 44mm -- Wall Thickness: 13mm -- Cleaner Passes? Yes



COMMENT: I know that by using the term "Freehand", I have opted for the easy way out, but I believe there are too many freehand touches to allow for the reliable use of a standard term. Having said that, I have to admit that the bowl bears resemblance to the classic Dublin, but, again, the buck stops there and the similarities are not in any way, shape, or form dominant. What I have also admired about pipe with the plateau top is that they manage to stand in so much contrast with the smooth, natural finish; in these case, both the ruggedness of the plateau top and the refined, smooth surface of the rest of the pipe attest the natural of the material. This pipe is the epitome of what I'm saying here. I love the visual and tactile effect of the combination of plateau and the smooth surface of the rest of the pipe. Another important fact is that the edges of the natural plateau have played an important and spontaneous role in the shaping of the pipe; indeed, if you look at the top rim and top from the side of the pipe, you see how that part has been dictated by the natural shape of the material. The grain is nothing short of magnificent, and the way it is around the bowl is the way it is around the shank, which is always a fabulous feature. Posella decided to add this massive shank extension of boxwood, preceded by a thin black, acrylic insert. All this is then followed by a short, saddle mouthpiece. In spite of the relatively large size of the pipe, the thickness of the wood, and the weight, the pipe feels so well-balanced in the hand, and I'm sure it'll be equally balanced when clench on.

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Pipe Code:	PS047	Price:	CHF 550.00 Convert
Shape:	Freeform Bell	Weight:	49g / 1-23/32 oz
Chamber ų: 22mm -- Chamber Depth: 39mm -- Wall Thickness: 11mm -- Cleaner Passes? Yes



COMMENT: This pipe may at first appear quite simple in design! Well, and while I would not agree with "simple", I'd certainly describe it more as "conservative". This impression stems from the fact that the pipe looks familiar, due to the Dublin-related bowl shape. I opted for "Bell", rather than "Dublin", due to the obvious difference in diameter between the bowl rim and base, which are 45.5mm (1.79") and 12mm (0.47"), respectively. One of the major pleasant surprises here is the extra long shank, which measures about 54mm (2.13"). This is about 6mm (1/4 of an inch) more, compared to the height of the bowl. As you can also see, the bowl top is slanted, and that outline of the bowl top is visually aligned with the edge of the shank. The pipe is bent to the ideal degree, and all this results in a pipe that is extremely well-balanced both to the eye and in the hand. The tapered mouthpiece plays in an important role in the pipe's conservative and classic appears. At the end of the day, however, we see this pipe on this page for a reason: the grain! Most of the grain around the bowl is nothing short of wonderful Straight Grain, and the Bird's Eye on the bowl top is simply breathtaking. I love the elegant brown-golden stain that Posella applied. It managed to bring the best of the grain out and at the same time, it added this element of tradition As a matter of fact, it reminds me of a pipe which was made many decades ago by one of the well-known British pipe makers, which I think translates automatically into a compliments to Posella and a testimony of his skill and experience.

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Pipe Code:	PS048	Price:	CHF 550.00 Convert
Shape:	XL Dublin	Weight:	79g / 2-25/32 oz
Chamber ų: 22mm -- Chamber Depth: 47mm -- Wall Thickness: 17mm -- Cleaner Passes? Yes



COMMENT: Believe me when I tell you this is indeed an Extra Large pipe! To understand this statement even more, you need to looks at the measurements above carefully. In addition, I have tell you that the bowl is about 58mm (2.28") tall, with a diameter of about 54mm (2.13"). The total length of the pipe, with the mouthpiece in place, is about 148mm (5.83"), which is quite impressive for a bent pipe. As you may have noticed, the walls of the bowl are unbelievably thick, measuring up to 17mm (0.67"). I like the fact that shank is of quite a decent length, measuring about 50mm (almost 2"), which is quite proportionate to the height of the bowl. The shape is indeed that of the classic Dublin, even though the difference in diameter between the bowl rim and base is quite more than what you would expect; for this reason, I would most definitely add the word "Freeform" to the shape definition. The saddle mouthpiece is quite elegant, and thanks to the rather short base, it is as discreet as it possibly can, which means it lets the rest of the pipe take center stage. The grain is an elegant blend of Flame Grain around the bowl, with tight Bird's Eye on the bowl top and base; the shank, on the other hand, shows almost exclusively Flame Grain, which is almost horizontal. While a pipe of this size and this weight is more suitable to be held in the hand, I believe that an occasional clench on the pipe should not cause any disruption to the enjoyment of the smoke. I see this pipe as a true representative of the old school of Italian pipe makers, where large, smooth pipes, with excellent grain ruled the market and demanded the admiration of pipe smokers and collectors.

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