Posella Small Flake Tobacco Pipes

The Pipes
Posella Pipes: Flake pipes

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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:	PS026	Price:	CHF 180.00 Convert
Shape:	Panel Dublin	Weight:	47g / 1-21/32 oz
Chamber ų: 21mm -- Chamber Depth: 33mm -- Wall Thickness: 13mm -- Cleaner Passes? Yes
This pipe is comparable in size to a Dunhill Group: 3



COMMENT: Though this is a relatively small pipe, it definitely required a lot of work on Posella's part. The basic bowl shape is that of a Dublin, but with 8 different panels. The base of the bowl and shank is flat, which means that the pipe sits on a flat surface without support. The saddle mouthpiece follows the square shape of the shank, which means there is a lot of harmony between the bowl, the shank, and the mouthpiece. The rustication is only on three of the panels of the shank, leaving the entire bowl in a smooth natural finish. The grain is far superior on the right-hand side of the bowl, though the other side doesn't have flaws or bald spots. The pipe is very well balanced and its compactness is actually part of its charm.

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Pipe Code:	PS028	Price:	CHF 210.00 Convert
Shape:	Freeform Pot	Weight:	49g / 1-23/32 oz
Chamber ų: 21mm -- Chamber Depth: 32mm -- Wall Thickness: 12mm -- Cleaner Passes? Yes
This pipe is comparable in size to a Dunhill Group: 3



COMMENT: It's quite rare for me to describe a shape as a Pot, let alone a Freeform Pot. You see, the Pot is one of the established classic shapes, and yet, for some reason, it is not produced by any maker with any degree of regularity. The reason why this is not a typical classic Pot is the long shank, which measures 45mm (1.77 inches), while the bowl is 40mm (1.58 inches). The pipe comes with a classic-looking tapered mouthpiece, which does add to the conservative look of the pipe as a whole. The grain is good and consistent all over the pipe, with some tight Bird's Eye on the bowl top and base.

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Pipe Code:	PS031	Price:	CHF 240.00 Convert
Shape:	"Nosewarmer"	Weight:	49g / 1-23/32 oz
Chamber ų: 20.5mm -- Chamber Depth: 33mm -- Wall Thickness: ->19mm -- Cleaner Passes? Yes
This pipe is comparable in size to a Dunhill Group: 3



COMMENT: I know that the term "Nose Warmer" is not accurate as a shape definition, but I just couldn't resist. The reason why I see it as a Nose Warmer is the overall length of the pipe, which is a mere 130mm (5.12 inches). The shape of the bowl comes close to the classic Prince, but not close enough. The shank is quite short, followed by a thin tapered mouthpiece. The bowl shape is clearly oval, measuring 44mm (1.73 inches) across, from one side, and 51mm (2.10 inches) across, from the other. The grain is one of the most positive aspects of this pipe; it's all nothing but Bird's Eye and Crossgrain. Posella apparently aimed at this final result when he was designing and cutting the ebauchon (hence allowing for as much Bird's Eye as possible). You can tell by the patina of the wood that this pipe was made of an aged piece of briar, a fact that was confirmed by Posella himself. That is not news since Posella's wood is among the best and most aged in the world; after all, the Posella family is known as Calabrian briar suppliers.

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Pipe Code:	PS052	Price:	CHF 230.00 Convert
Shape:	Dublin-Canadian	Weight:	47g / 1-21/32 oz
Chamber ų: 21.5mm -- Chamber Depth: 38mm -- Wall Thickness: 12mm -- Cleaner Passes?Yes
This pipe is comparable in size to a Dunhill Group: 4



COMMENT: Dublin-Canadian, what a beautiful combination! It's like music to my ears! Actually, there is more to this pipe than even the impressive combination of the Dublin and the Canadian. Most of those extras are actually found in the size and shape of the bowl. First of all, you may notice that the bowl is not as tall as you would expect it to be, which means it is slight "squashed", which makes an indirect reference to the Pot (without the Pot shape!). The bowl is also slightly oval, measuring 43x47mm (1.69x1.85"). Moreover, there is a slight slant on the bowl top, which has indeed added an extra dimension of elegance and gracefulness to the shape design. As for the shank, and while it is oval (just like in the case of the Canadian), it is tapered, as well, starting at the bowl at 16mm and meeting the mouthpiece with a height of only 13mm. Posella chose to use his beautiful brown-golden stain, and boy am I glad he did! The stain brought out the best of the grain, which was already impressive in its natural, untreated state. As a matter of fact, I believe this pipe deserves a higher grade than that, but it's in my benefit (and above all, yours) not to argue!

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Pipe Code:	PS053	Price:	CHF 360.00 Convert
Shape:	Freeform Dublin	Weight:	40g / 1-13/32 oz
Chamber ų: 21mm -- Chamber Depth: 38mm -- Wall Thickness: 11mm -- Cleaner Passes? Yes
This pipe is comparable in size to a Dunhill Group: 3



COMMENT: I know that most people would not hesitate to describe this shape as a straightforward classic Dublin, and I would risk my life trying to change their mind. However, the classic, classic Dublin some with a round shank, whereas this pipe comes with an oval, tapered shank. The shank height is 16mm at the bowl and 13mm, at the mouthpiece. What I like about the shank is that it is of an excellent length, which stands at 45mm (1.77"); this means that the shank is slightly more in length than the bowl is in height (42mm or 1.65 inches). The choice of a long, tapered mouthpiece is excellent, and it does indeed complement the classic look of the pipe. Now, and apart from the shape, the pipe has not been graded with 4 Stars for nothing. The grain is more than impressive, and believe me when I say that I have seen endless pipes graded by other makers as Straight Grain and they had less of beautiful, uniform grain than this pipe. In short, if you like classic, straight shapes, with a touch of innovation, in a small-medium size, and with beautiful grain, you should not let this one slip through your fingers!

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Pipe Code:	PS054	Price:	CHF 360.00 Convert
Shape:	Freeform Dublin	Weight:	40g / 1-13/32 oz
Chamber ų: 22mm -- Chamber Depth: 33mm -- Wall Thickness: 14mm -- Cleaner Passes? Yes
This pipe is comparable in size to a Dunhill Group: 3



COMMENT: This pipe has a special place in my heart. Let me tell you why. I have been a great fan of the Danish pipe maker, Ilstead, and I do count him among the top pipe makers in history. What I have always admired about Ilstead is his skill in creating a design that combine the linear and the round, in an effortless shape that can be described as both familiar and innovative, simple and complex. Plus, remember that Ilstead is the magician of panels. Well, the point is as soon as I saw this pipe, I thought of Ilstead's work, and believe me, this is one of the biggest compliments I could give another pipe maker. I love the roundedness of the Dublin bowl, combined with the 8-panel shank, followed by double shank inserts, one of black acrylic and the other of boxwood. The medium-length, saddle mouthpiece couldn't have been a better choice; it does complement the design, confirming both the classic and the freeform design. What I don't quite like about the fit between the shank and the mouthpiece is that they don't meet perfectly on the outside; in other word, when you run your finger tip on that part, you feel that the mouthpiece is slight higher than the shank. Of course, this is a very small technical detail, and it cannot have any effect, positive or negative, on how the pipe smokes. Back to the bowl. The bowl is slight oval measuring 42.5x47.5mm (1.67x1.87"). In spite of a few visible sandpits (see the last picture, second row, from left), the grain is very uniform and consistent, with some gorgeous Bird's Eye on the bowl top and base. The pipe is not that long, measuring a total of 127mm (about 5") in length, which means that this pipe could prove to be an excellent companion when you go on a trip and you want to keep an elegant, small pipe handy.

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