Posella Grade Star Tobacco Pipes

The Pipes
Posella Pipes: Grade Star (2, 3, 4)

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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:	PS066	Price:	CHF 260.00
Shape:	FF Stack	Weight:	57g / 2oz
Chamber ų: 22mm -- Chamber Depth: 46mm -- Wall Thickness: 11mm -- Cleaner Passes? Yes



COMMENT: I have to admit that this pipe is hard to describe and define with any degree of certainty or in any clear and straightforward terms. However, I'll give it a shot. If you manage to remove that groove from around the bowl, you will see what appears to be an Apple shape, but then the bowl will appear to be elongated a bit too much for a comfortable Apple, and then your eyes travel to the shank and you realize that it is not that long without the maple wood extension, and so you come back to the bowl, seeing more and more the idea of the Stack or Chimney. I just gave you a little peek into how this busted, twisted mind of mine works!

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Pipe Code:	PS067	Price:	CHF 270.00
Shape:	Panel Dublin	Weight:	54g / 1-29/32 oz
Chamber ų: 21.5mm -- Chamber Depth: 34mm -- Wall Thickness: 12mm -- Cleaner Passes? Yes



COMMENT: I find this shape quite intriguing, and let me tell you why. You see, when I think of or imagine the Dublin shape, it's round, and it is this "roundedness" that is essential for the overall feel of the Dublin. "Panel", on the other hand, is more easily perceivable on more shapes such as the Billiard, shapes that can be described as "calculated" or "mathematical". What is stunning about this pipe is that it combines these two aspects that I have always believed to be almost mutually exclusive, in an elegant and harmonious package called "Panel Dublin"! It doesn't stop here: Posella made the shank square in shape, followed by a saddle mouthpiece with a square base. The bowl base is flat and so the pipe can sit still on a flat surface without any support. The Flame Grain is excellent all around the bowl and on the two sides of the square shank.

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Pipe Code:	PS069	Price:	CHF 270.00
Shape:	XL Chubby Apple	Weight:	76g / 2-11/16 oz
Chamber ų: 20.5mm -- Chamber Depth: 43mm -- Wall Thickness: 15mm -- Cleaner Passes? Yes



COMMENT: Boy, is this pipe chubby! This one here should be a dream come true to anyone who prefers to hold their pipes in their hand and the more wood there is, the better. I have tried holding this pipe, and I love it; it's this feeling that could one day convert me from a clencher to a holder! There's so much wood all over this pipe that I wouldn't be surprised if it sufficed to make two pipes around Dunhill Group 3 each. If you look carefully at the bowl from the top, you'll notice that it is oval, measuring 50x53mm (1.97x2.10"). By the looks and feel of this pipe, I can bet you anything it was made out of a particularly old and seasoned piece of briar, and when we talk about Posella, this could mean decades of age. I love the short, saddle mouthpiece, and how it clearly appears to be a natural and spontaneous extension of the shank and the pipe overall. The grain is an elegant mixture of Flame around the bowl and Bird's Eye on the bowl and shank base, and of course, on the bowl top.

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Pipe Code:	PS097	Price:	CHF 270.00
Shape:	Freeform Dublin	Weight:	50g / 1-3/4 oz
Chamber ų: 21.5mm -- Chamber Depth: 34mm -- Wall Thickness: 11mm -- Cleaner Passes? Yes



COMMENT: If you know me, then you know how much I love the Lovat AND the Dublin. This means that I absolutely go crazy when I see a shape design that combines those two magnificent shapes. Here's one that will hopefully show you why I love this combination. What makes this pipe even more special is the fact that it is a 1/4 bent, and if you look carefully, you may notice that the shank is thicker than you would expect. Those two touches, in my opinion, make a beauty even more beautiful! I can tell (and don't ask me why) that this pipe is made out of a very, very old piece of briar, and I do expect it to be an exceptional smoking instrument.

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Pipe Code:	PS098	Price:	CHF 270.00
Shape:	Freefrom Lovat	Weight:	46g / 1-5/8 oz
Chamber ų: 21.5mm -- Chamber Depth: 38mm -- Wall Thickness: 12mm -- Cleaner Passes? Yes



COMMENT: I have not seen a pipe like this in the 20 years I have been a collector, and I love it. Strangely enough, the part that is less stunning and less unique is the long, round shank and the short, saddle mouthpiece; that is after all the signature of the Lovat. We have to remember, though, the this shank is extra long; it measures 78mm (3.1 inches) while the bowl is 46mm (1.81 inches) in height. The situation becomes a lot more intriguing and the shape design unique when we look at the bowl. The shape is quite unusual, with the round panels. I love the way the bowl and shank flow into each other. The saddle mouthpiece is deliberately made quite short, which reminds me of the famous Castello Shape 75; I expect it to be a little difficult to clench on the pipe because of that, and that is why, maybe, so many people love this kind of mouthpiece (maybe also, they prefer to hold their pipes in their hands).

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Pipe Code:	PS017	Price:	CHF 330.00
Shape:	XL "Bell"	Weight:	83g / 2-15/16 oz
Chamber ų: 21.5mm -- Chamber Depth: 40mm -- Wall Thickness: 16mm -- Cleaner Passes? Yes



COMMENT: Here's another quite unique shape. Now that I have commented on 16 Posella pipes, I do have the impression that he is fond of freeform shapes, and I must admit that he truly excels at it. This shape is no exception. The pipe is quite large, and it comes with so much wood all over the place: Large bowl, and quite a long shank. A very elegant touch, one that I have learned to appreciate a lot over the years, is the way the bowl and shank are shaped to meet. Notice the delicate angle created by these two meeting and how well defined the shank is, in spite of its being connected to this rather such a bowl with such a large diameter. The bowl top is concave AND wavy at the same time. Another reason why this pipe is a beauty is the incredibly good grain, which is a combination of Flame and Straight Grain, around the bowl, and massive Bird's Eye on the bowl top. Note how the Flame Grain is carried forward onto the two sides of the shank. Posella opted for an elegance, and uniquely shaped, saddle mouthpiece, and I must admit the whole pipe has so much balance to it in spite of its large size.

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Pipe Code:	PS099	Price:	CHF 330.00
Shape:	Slanted Bell	Weight:	50g / 1-3/4 oz
Chamber ų: 21.5mm -- Chamber Depth: 39mm -- Wall Thickness: 13mm -- Cleaner Passes? Yes



COMMENT: This is probably the first time in my career as a pipe retailer that I use this combination of "slanted" and "Bell" in the shape definition field, and honestly, I wonder why! This description is quite accurate. The shape of the bowl is definitely more of a "Bell" than of a "Dublin", and that is due to the large difference in diameter between the bowl rim and base. As for "slanted", no two people would ever disagree on that description; maximum, we can use the bowl "canted forward", which is slightly difference but gives the correct idea. The pipe comes with a long, round, and robust shank, followed by a short, saddle mouthpiece, both bent very slightly. The grain is primarily Flame Grain around the bowl, with some exquisite Bird's Eye on the bowl top and base. The shank replicates the exact same grain pattern.

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