The pipe world is chock full of fascinating surprises, not least of which is the occasional intriguing specimen from a virtually unheard-of carver. One such carver is Ernesto Ossola, an Italian artisan who plied his trade primarily in Livorno and later France. Pipedia's entry (https://pipedia.org/wiki/La_Torre) is brief. I rooted around and found an Italian pipe blogger, Gusto Tobacco, who did some admirable original research (https://www-gustotabacco-it.translate.goog/storia/2652-la-torre-di-ernesto-ossola-una-storia-da-ricordare/?_x_tr_sl=it&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc. This link is to the Google translation, halting but usable.) Ossola closed up his pipe carving enterprise in the late ‘70s to devote himself to his first love, mineralogy.
This very large pipe is unusually shaped, somewhat like a flattened oval. Regardless, one is struck immediately by the glorious ring grain blast which enfolds the stummel like perfectly spun spider's web. The plateaux surfaces are rakishly canted starboard, lending the pipe a sense of wanting to take off and fly. Its flawless execution reinforces the notion that for all the great houses deals of pipe making (Dunhill, Charatan, Savinelli, and so on), there are scores of small, long forgotten carvers, who produced timeless gems like this unique treasure.
VITAL STATISTICS
Length: 6.75”
Bowl Width: 1.38”
Bowl Height: 2.5”
Chamber: 0.875” in diameter; 1.875” deep
Weight: 2.5 oz.
Stummel: Briar
Stem: Vulcanite
Nomenclature:La Torre
Personal
ITALY
The tower logo stamped into the shank is the famed Torre del Marzocco in the Livorno harbor.
Condition: Used. Reamed, cleaned, polished, and waxed. Ready to break in and smoke.
Product code: Vintage La deals Torre Freehand Estate Pipe