The Pipes DG Pipes. Grade: D

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• As he lives close to Italy's biggest briar supplier, Gabriele Dal Fiume is fortunate enough to go and select his briar, piece by piece.
  
• Due to the fact that Gabriele has a full time job, he can dedicate only a small part of his time to pipe making; this means that his annual production is extremely limited.
  
• All Gabriele's pipes are stamped "DG" (Dal Fiume Gabriele), with the grade (A, B, C, D, E, F, and Dal Fiume). For a complete guide to DG grading system, please go to: DG Grading Guide.

 

Pipe is stamped: "D" ~ "05" ~ "70", plus the butterfly.
Pipe Code: DG032 Price: CHF 590.00   Shape: Flower Weight: 48g / 1-11/16 oz Chamber ø: 19.5mm  --  Chamber Depth: 30mm  --  Wall Thickness: 15mm  --  Cleaner Passes? Yes This pipe is comparable in size to a Dunhill Group:  3 An alternative way to view all the pictures of this pipe is: The SlideShow.
COMMENT: The bowl shape apparently has some floral inspiration behind it, or at least this is how I see it. Let's just hope Gabriele is not reading this and disagreeing with me! Though the bowl walls are quite thick, the pipe overall appears to be so delicate. A big part of this is due to the slender two-knuckle bamboo shank and of course the very, very delicate unique Fishtail mouthpiece. In fact, when I asked Gabriele how come the mouthpiece doesn't have the DG logo, he simply said that there was no room. The mouthpiece and the two inserts are made of acrylic though they give the impression of being Cumberland. There are two small visible sandpits that are fortunately tucked away from the critical eye underneath the shank. Thanks to the comfortable mouthpiece, the pipe should prove to be very comfortable and well balanced to clench on.

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Pipe is stamped: "D" ~ "07" ~ "97"
Pipe Code: DG072 Price: CHF 540.00   Shape: Freehand Weight: 36g / 1-9/32 oz Chamberø: 21mm -- Chamber Depth: 34mm -- Wall Thickness:11mm -- Cleaner Passes? Yes This pipe is comparable in size to a Dunhill Group:  3
COMMENT: In order for me to offer a more accurate shape description here, I would have had to use at least 4-5 words, and hence my decision to go with Freehand. The bowl shape is closest to the of the Poker, but again, the bowl is so conical that we can't discuss the shape without making some reference to the Dublin. Moreover, the shank is quite long and round, with a short, tapered mouthpiece, which means that some mention of the Liverpool is indispensable. You see, how could I fit all that in a word or two. I'd like to add to the above a few more sentences. First of all, note that the bowl top is concave, which adds a whole extra dimension to the overall shape design. The shank is an elegant three-knuckle piece of bamboo that measures an average of 9mm in diameter. You will also notice that there is a slight gap between the acrylic shank insert and the mouthpiece. Well, this is not really a gap; the mouthpiece was shaped and designed this way to allow a bit of distance between the mouthpiece and the rest of the pipe. Speaking of the mouthpiece, this is another extremely slender and comfortable mouthpiece; it measures 4mm in thickness and 14mm in width. The grain is Flame pattern all around the bowl, with some fabulous Bird's Eye on the bowl top. Due to the flat bowl base, the pipe can sit on its own on a flat surface, which is always a welcomed addition.

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Pipe is stamped: "D" ~ "08" ~ "87", plus the Butterfly
Pipe Code: DG086 Price: CHF 590.00   Shape: Freehand Weight: 50g / 1-3/4 oz Chamberø: 20mm -- Chamber Depth: 39mm -- Wall Thickness:13mm -- Cleaner Passes? Yes This pipe is comparable in size to a Dunhill Group:  3 An alternative way to view all the pictures of this pipe is: The SlideShow.
COMMENT: While there is no doubt in my mind that "Freehand" is the correct and fair definition for this pipe, I have to admit that a "DG Freehand" would be a lot more accurate. The reason I used only "Freehand" is that the other term would require knowledge of the DG pipe making approach and history, and I don't think that would be a fair assumption. What I mean by all that is the fact this is a shape that I find quite representative of Gabriele's work and pipe making tradition. If I saw this pipe from a distance, I would immediately recognize the maker: Gabriele Dal Fiume. The magical touch in the pipe design here is the one you see when you look at the pipe from the top (see first and third picture, from left, second row). I think any attempt to break the shape down into its different components and liken them to features of other, more established shapes would only confuse you and distract from the beauty and uniqueness of the shape design. I think this is one of those rare occasions when I can say with confidence and a clean conscience that the shank here competes with the bowl itself as far as importance, complexity and elegance are concerned. I just love the combination of the roundedness of the bowl and the ovalness of the shank, and the way they meet and accommodate each other is like music to my ears (eyes, in this case). The tapered, Army-Mount mouthpiece comes with a beautiful and elaborate insert made of maple wood. As for the grain, I hope the pictures give you an idea of how absolutely fabulous the grain is. The only thing that may distract a bit is the sandpit underneath the shank (see last picture, from left, second row). Having said that, and considering the sandpit is tucked away from the curious and critical eyes, the massive and breathtaking Bird's Eye more than makes up for this little glitch of nature. As a matter of fact, I consider such an embellish to be a good reminder of the nature of the wood and, more importantly, the talent and perseverance of the maker who managed to defy the odds and produce a pipe that is worthy of our respect and admiration. This pipe comes with a handmade maple wood DG tamper, at no extra cost.

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