Franz Pipes
Franz Pipes are made by Roberto Franzini (b. 1982). Franzini was born in Domodossola, a small city in the mountains of northwest Italy, but now lives with his family in Saronno, another northern Italian city in the hinterland of Milan. Franz is Franzini’s nickname, one that also belonged to his father, and to his grandfather, and is the name Franzini chose to give to his pipes.
Franzini began making pipes in 2012, after hearing one of his colleagues mention that his dentist was an avid pipe smoker and a pipe maker. Driven by curiosity, Franzini turned to the internet to learn about pipe making from videos and other online resources. Soon after discovering the world of pipe making on the internet, Franzini bought his first briar blocks and tools, and began trying the craft for himself. Oddly enough the dentist that Franzini had heard about from his colleague was none other than the Milanese pipe maker Angelo Fassi, with whom Franzini would later become good friends. The two continue to visit each other, smoke pipes, and discuss pipe making, to this day.
Franzini was initially self-taught, just as many pipe makers are today. As he says himself, in the beginning,
“I learned from myself: wrong, wrong, and again wrong.”
But, as with any pursuit, learning by trial and error is nonetheless learning. In the words of Samuel Beckett, “Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” Franzini committed to his new craft and continued to use his early mistakes as a means of self-improvement. Living in northern Italy, a region historically renowned for pipe making, Franzini was also able to visit other artisans in their workshops and receive advice on various pipe making techniques. Attending events at the Savinelli and Brebbia factories further contributed to the development of his skills in working with briar.
Franzini’s travails and travels ultimately paid off, though readers may be surprised at the result, given his distinctly Italian pipe making education. Franz Pipes are, in the majority, unmistakably Danish in design. Though Franzini is hesitant to situate his work within the Danish tradition, owing to a great amount of modesty and humility in his self-assessment, he is nonetheless captivated by those he regards as the ‘royalty’ of Danish-style artisan pipe making. These include Lars Ivarsson, Hans ‘Former’ Nielsen, Jess Chonowitsch, and Tom Eltang, as well as Kazuhiro Fukuda from Japan’s Tsuge Ikebana workshop.
These influences are readily apparent in Franz Pipes. The so-called 'Danish billiard,' combining elements from other, classical shapes - a slightly elongated Lovat-style stem coupled with a widened, rounded, brandy- or pot-style bowl - is a frequent motif in Franzini's work. Other recurrent motifs include the 'Danish egg,' with the Ivarssons' and Former's iterations being particularly reminiscent in the plump, ovoid bowls and the gradually curved shanks of Franzini's own.
While Franzini does sandblast some of his pipes, the majority of Franz Pipes thus far have been smooth, typically with tight, uniform flame or straight grain adorning the stummel. In this regard, Franzini's designs do show a connection to the Italian schools closer - at least geographically - to his home. When looking at Franzini's frequent use of simple, lighter and more natural hues in staining his pipes, one might be reminded of the warm, blonde stains found on the high-grades of the Caminetto or Ascorti workshops.
Franzini always works with briar and ebonite rods, the latter typically being jet black, or occasionally cumberland. He prefers the simplicity of traditionally-colored stems over the more extravagant hues found in many artisan and factory pipes. Unlike most Italian workshops, which have long since transitioned to using Lucite or other types of acrylic, Franzini favors ebonite due to it being more comfortable against the smoker’s teeth. Franzini also enjoys using hardwoods and horn for bands and rings on his pipes, but does not like to use bamboo, as he does not think it suits the general aesthetic he pursues in Franz Pipes.
When it comes to designing and making a pipe, Franzini begins by sketching a preliminary idea on paper, before beginning to map out its dimensions on a briar block. He typically begins with a classic pipe shape, but as he begins to work the briar, he gradually departs from this shape as he develops his own interpretation of it. Frequent design elements in Franz Pipes include a slight forward cant at the bowl, gentle and precise curves, and unexpected inclusions of asymmetry. Variations of the Dublin, the Rhodesian, and the brandy are common in Franzini’s work, albeit re-imagined according to Franzini’s tastes and inspirations.
Currently (2023), Franzini is a part-time pipe maker, and produces 40-50 Franz Pipes per year. Franz Pipes are sold by LePipe.it and by Tabaccheria Guzzi.
Franzini does not frequently use social media, however he does have social media accounts for Franz Pipes which are managed by his girlfriend. Details for these accounts can be found at the bottom of this page.
Gallery
Image courtesy Tabaccheria Guzzi.
Image courtesy Tabaccheria Guzzi.
Image courtesy Tabaccheria Guzzi.
Image courtesy LePipe.it.
Image courtesy LePipe.it.
Image courtesy Tabaccheria Guzzi.
Image courtesy LePipe.it.
Image courtesy Roberto Franzini.
Image courtesy Roberto Franzini.
Contact Information
Roberto Franzini Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064517959333 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/franzpipe/