Castello

[riff raff]

Floppypipe in Italy is one of the premier Euro dealers for Castello. They get some pieces not typically found via US retailers (and seemingly, the pick of the Castello crop). If you like smaller Castellos, they can be hard to find but this place has them. I had an excellent experience with them last year, a Sea Rock 65 rec'd within 60 hours from placing my order. Their prices are hard to beat.
https://en.floppypipe.it/96-castello

 

[Sasquatch]

Very very easy to order pipes out of Italy - tax free so the prices are less than you see advertised, by a lot.

http://www.pipeshop-lanzola.it/en/109-pipa-pipe-castello

https://tabaccheriacorti.com/gb/29-castello

 

[Zeno Marx]

Thanks for those links and the idea, riff raff and Sasquatch. If anyone knows of other Italian or European sellers, please post their links as well. Loving that Dune carving idea.

This is going to be the obvious to many --maybe to all-- but, Castello walks that incredibly fine and precarious position between quality and novelty, artistry and folly. It's one thing to be skilled craftsmen, but to also be idea people who so consistently do not fall on the side of folly is quite impressive. Few attempt it because of how unlikely succeeding at it is. I've always respected Charatan for this very reason (the audacity to attempt it), though they were far less successful at it than Castello. I feel most Charatans in the more artistic realm are hideous, and mind you, I hold Charatan in the highest regard, amongst the very top greatest makers. I don't feel Castello rests on name alone. For instance, that Le Dune carving is rather bold, but in my eyes, they reek of highest quality just as much as the 55 appears. No boundaries, yet tight in the pocket.

Are they overpriced? That's for another discussion.

Speaking of the 55, they sell out of every 55 they make. If they were business driven, why wouldn't they crank out 55s all day long? Waltzing with supply/demand for certain, but my goodness. In the pipe world, that's as close to having a cash cow as you probably get. Quite the luxury for a maker.

 

[Sasquatch]

They probably just get sick of making 55s.


Castellos are, in some senses, over priced. Seeing a smooth apple with great grain, you think, okay, 500 bucks? Nope, 1100 EUROES! Holy heck.

But at... 350 USD... you can get a Sea Rock or an Old Antiquari, and they are great smokers, period. I've converted almost all my "store bought" pipes to Castellos over time, traded everything else off.

They use good wood, they build pipes carefully. Bingo. That's all!

Yeah, folly is a good word, and some of the pipes are.... kinda ugly, really! But usually charming too, and some of us are just like that in real life!

 

[mgtarheel]

I would check out Pipestud too.

 

[Zeno Marx]

Very very easy to order pipes out of Italy - tax free so the prices are less than you see advertised, by a lot.

I must be doing something wrong. The conversion yesterday was 1.24. The few I checked out were slightly more via Italy vs Briar Blues, eBay (new), Smoking Pipes, etc.

 

[Sasquatch]

Al Pascia lists tax in and tax out prices - a 220 euro pipe is 180 euroes tax out (taxes being thus 22% of the price you see).  

Take this to TabacheriaCorti, a kkkk sea rock is listed at 260 euroes tax in.  knock 57 off for tax you aren't paying.   That's 203 euroes = 250.67 USD today.  

So.  

That's about 100 bucks cheaper, by my reckoning.


(Edit I cheated my math, the pipe is actually more like 212 euroes tax out. Still, hundred cheaper than a kkkk sea rock at SP, which is 361.00)

 

[Zeno Marx]

ah, I see. Thanks for the math. Very nice indeed.