A Stout Collaboration

18th September, 2009: Posted by glpease in Pipes

I can’t keep quiet about this anymore. It’s been driving me nuts not being able to talk about it, but we’re finally close enough to the release, and I’m thinking it’s safe to break the silence. After all, the first batch of pipes are done, and they’re stamped, and they’re coming to Richmond, so it’s pretty clear at this point that it’s really happening. It’s not so much that it’s been a Top-Secret, eyes only sort of thing. It’s just that up until this week, it might still have been just another dream. But, now it’s real. Now, it’s time to spill the fagioli.

Back in 2007, Luca diPiazza began discussing a new project to be done in cooperation with Radice. The idea was that Luca and I would create some fun designs that would be made by Radice in limited editions. The first design was to be a shorter, stouter rhodesian variant, almost a Brucianaso (nose warmer) in proportion.

Luca and I discussed the shape concept and the design parameters. I drew up the final sketch, and sent it off to Radice, from which three prototypes were made. Luca and I then selected the one that we felt right for the final model. I smoked that lovely ‘prototipo’ for a couple of weeks, just to make sure that the internal details were right. I’ve always really liked the way Radice’s pipes smoke, and fully expected this one to be great, but it seemed a good excuse to smoke a new pipe. It was fantastic, of course, and so the project was now officially well underway!

Unfortunately, I had to return the prototypes to Italy. “Don’t worry, Greg,” Luca reassured. “You’ll get your pipe back.”  Alas, even more unfortunately, mille grazie to the vagaries of the Italian post, these first three pieces never completed their journey from San Francisco to Milano. We lost the prototypes, I lost my pipe, and we had to start the process over. (That’s it, by the way, right down there.)

So, Radice made three more prototypes from the original drawings, and these were subjected to the same scrutinies of the rigorous selection process, with Luca and I individually choosing our favourite, then discussing our choice. Not really much to discuss. Once again, we both chose the same example, with only very minor changes to be made. This time, the prototypes were hand delivered, and carried across the Atlantic in Luca’s luggage to minimize risk of them getting lost in some darkened corner of an Italian post office. You’d think we were dealing with highly valuable, secret technology or priceless jewels here, but once bitten, twice shy. (I hope the guy who nicked the originals is enjoying my pipe as much as I would be.)

So, we were back on track, a little later than we’d hoped, but once again, the project was underway. From there, it was a matter of doing all the other stuff related to building a product. A logo had to be designed, and a stamp made for the pipes. We had to decide on the size of the edition (100), and how they’d be numbered and graded. The pipes had to be made, the silver bands sourced and applied. The finished pipes had to be sorted, graded, stamped and made ready for sale. There’s a lot more to this than I was anticipating. Thankfully, Luca has been the point man in Italy, doing his usual excellent job of managing the details, whilst I sit here in California, and handle the easy stuff.

Over the past couple months, as we’ve gotten closer and closer, Luca has kept me from going insane with anticipation by sending the occasional teasing photo of the project’s progress. It’s been fun watching as these little beauties have come to life. It’s a treat for me to finally be able to share some of those images. Of course, I’ve leaked pictures to various friends in the pipe world; it’s always nice to have sanity checks along the way with projects like this. The unanimous response has been, “When can I get one?” So, though when we started this, we thought 100 pipes might be a lot, I’m already starting to wonder if we’ll need to do a second edition.

The first batch of pipes will be unveiled at the CORPS show on 2nd-4th October, and more will be finding their way to selected Radice retailers in the coming weeks. We made the decision not to attempt to impose grades upon the pipes in the edition. Instead, 100 pipes will be made, and critically graded as they come. In other words, we won’t know how many Silk-Cuts, how many Clears, how many Rubinos, &c will be made until the edition is complete.

Luca and I have been like two excited little kids in a candy store with this project, and are already working on our next design, which should appear sometime in ‘la Primavara’ of 2010.  We’ve got some other ideas up our sleeves, as well. Stay tuned for more from Pease/diPiazza Design.

Ciao,
Gregorio

17 Responses

  1. Jimmy Muraco Says:
    September 18th, 2009 at 15:57

    This is very exciting news indeed! The pipes are “molto bella”!!! I look forward to smoking one soon! Bravo!

  2. Matt R. Says:
    September 18th, 2009 at 16:17

    Greg that is AWESOME. I had hoped i would be something like this! Many congrats to you and Luca on what I KNOW will be a great endeavor.
    Wish I could be there at CORPS to get one. Thats my daughters birthday.. :(

  3. glpease Says:
    September 18th, 2009 at 19:21

    Grazie, amici! Some pipes will be available at NeatPipes.com a couple weeks after the show, I think, and other retailers will have some, too. I’m quite sure there will be a few to choose from through the rest of the year. Hopefully Luca will offer some more details here.

  4. Further Proof The Short Pipe is IN! | Pipe Smokers Says:
    September 19th, 2009 at 6:41

    […] Just a few hours after I posted last blog post on my obsession with nose warmers, GL Pease posted this blog post […]

  5. Bill Curnutte Says:
    September 24th, 2009 at 6:33

    Oh please email me when these become available. I would spring for 2 of them. They’re not on NeatPipes yet.

  6. Jim Berge Says:
    September 27th, 2009 at 14:16

    Are you planning to take pre-orders? If so, I’ll speak for one! Thanks…

  7. alfredo_buscatti Says:
    September 29th, 2009 at 23:20

    A whole new direction for you, Greg. May it bring you much success!

  8. glpease Says:
    September 29th, 2009 at 23:41

    After the CORPS show, after Luca has made his way back to Italia, they’ll begin appearing at NeatPipes and other selected Radice resellers.

  9. Ralph del Valle Says:
    October 14th, 2009 at 15:07

    WAW. Really a great job. Congratulations!

  10. Dave Steiner Says:
    October 16th, 2009 at 14:18

    Certain pipe shapes just speak to me… (Love at first sight can work with pipes along with members of the opposite sex.) With only 100 available, I never assumed I would be able to actually get one… but recently checking in to a favorite website, they have just started to handle Radice (a fav of mine anyway) and had three of these beauties! No, I didn’t buy them all (wish I could afford that!) but I do have #85 on the way…a lovely sandblast. Thanks so much Greg! It’s this years birthday present to myself.

  11. Bill Curnutte Says:
    October 19th, 2009 at 16:31

    Oh my, I got one of these today from Luca at NeatPipes. Mine is a Rubina and is gorgeous. It’s a chunk of a pipe but the bit is very comfortable in the mouth. I love the feel of the pipe in my hand. I baptized it with Haddo’s Delight and it smokes better even than it looks: cool, dry and all the way to white ash. Whew, I have to get another one of these.

  12. Luca Says:
    October 24th, 2009 at 10:15

    Hi guys!
    I have been crazy busy with a lot of things in the latest weeks! I have been in the USA and I really thank you all for the great welcome to me and to our Rubens Rhodesian!
    I am working hard on Neatpipes now. The new website should be on-line in a couple of DAYS!! Can’t wait:-)
    Greg, thank you very much Amico for making this real!

  13. Jon Burton Says:
    November 17th, 2009 at 10:50

    Luca,

    I am looking at neatpipes.com right now, and it is a great site! I was saddened to find that the Rubens Rhodesians are all gone, but the other pipes look wonderful! Great pictures of all the angles of the pipes, and even some with the stems out etc. Options for EU currency, or US currency, and the site in Italiano are available. Very well designed site. Bravo!

  14. glpease Says:
    November 17th, 2009 at 11:13

    Jon, there will be more RRs. Not a lot more, but more. Luca and I are a bit surprised by the wonderfully positive reception of this project, and we’re really happy that others like the shape as much as we do. Maybe we should have made the edition larger!

    We’re working on the next designs, probably for spring. (Sounds just like a fashion show, dunnit? “For our new spring collection…”)

  15. Luis Barra Says:
    November 30th, 2009 at 7:20

    Dear Greg,
    I get three of this beauties. Two from Maxim Engels and one from Luca di Piazza.
    I keept one for my own and two will be saved for my childrens, when they get adult of course. The pipe has a great desing and comfortable grip.
    Yesterday I start smoking in my Rubens Rhodesian, one of my favourites blends: Cairo (sellared since 2002), I know that after the breakin process the synergy will happens.
    Bests.
    Luis Barra
    Antofagasta - Chile

  16. Bill Curnutte Says:
    December 4th, 2009 at 15:06

    Greg,
    Can you give us a hint as to what sort of shape your new project will lean toward. I understand that it will probably not be (thank goodness) a blind copy of a traditional shape, but rather an interpretation of one. I hope it will be some kind of a “stubby” or “chunky” shape. I have now managed to get 3 Rubens Rhodesians and one Chunky Billiard from Luca at Neat Pipes. They are the best smoking pipes I have ever had in my life. I am about to get a couple more Chunky Billiards and maybe another Rubens Rhodesian. Who knows, I may take my older pipes to a pipe shop that accepts “estate” pipes and just smoke these wonderful Radice pipes. Congratulations and Thank You for what you are doing.

  17. glpease Says:
    December 4th, 2009 at 16:10

    Luis - Glad you’re so happy with the pipes, and that Cairo sounds delicious!

    Bill - So happy you’re pleased with yours! We’re looking at a couple of different ideas right now, but I think it’s safe to say that, yes, it’ll be another chubby one. Luca has my latest sketches and is meeting with the Radices during the coming weekend, so we might have a decision next week or so. Of course, there will be revisions, but it won’t be too long.

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