Castello: Difference between revisions
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'''''The following history was written by R. 'Bear' Graves for [http://www.smokingpipes.com/pipes/new/castello/history.cfm Smokingpipes.com], and is used by permission''''' | '''''The following history was written by R. 'Bear' Graves for [http://www.smokingpipes.com/pipes/new/castello/history.cfm Smokingpipes.com], and is used by permission''''' | ||
[[File:Castello1110nv.jpg|thumb|300px|The elusive shape #11 is similarly sized to the #10. Shown is an example in Sea Rock, with a #10 Natural Vergin for comparison. G.L. Pease Collection]][[File:Castello5456web.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Forground: 2K #54 Sandblast; background Antiquari #56, G.L. Pease Collection]][[File:Castellos3.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Top: Old Antiquari SC, shape 23-P; Center: Sea Rock 4K 33; Bottom: Collection 2K Great Line, G.L. Pease Collection]]The Book of Changes states "Before every brilliant beginning, there must first be chaos". While chaos might be overstating the lack of focus of the Italian pipe industry, just post World War Two, Italy had little of interest to offer the pipe collecting world. For decades, the Italian pipe industry churned out hundreds of thousands perfectly serviceable but unremarkable smoking instruments. If a pipe man wanted to pull out a pipe that conveyed a sense of status, a brand with undeniable cache, he had to go to a pedigreed English pipe, such as [[Dunhill]] and [[Sasieni]]; a pipe from Italy simply wouldn't have come to mind. Then, in 1946, a man from Cantu, Italy began carving a pipe that would change all of that. That man's name is Carlo Scotti, and his pipe brand is called "Castello". | [[File:Castello1110nv.jpg|thumb|300px|The elusive shape #11 is similarly sized to the #10. Shown is an example in Sea Rock, with a #10 Natural Vergin for comparison. G.L. Pease Collection]][[File:Castello5456web.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Forground: 2K #54 Sandblast; background Antiquari #56, G.L. Pease Collection]][[File:Castellos3.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Top: Old Antiquari SC, shape 23-P; Center: Sea Rock 4K 33; Bottom: Collection 2K Great Line, G.L. Pease Collection]][[File:Castello Ad.jpg|thumb|Castello Ad from Wally Franks catalog, courtesy Doug Valitchka]]The Book of Changes states "Before every brilliant beginning, there must first be chaos". While chaos might be overstating the lack of focus of the Italian pipe industry, just post World War Two, Italy had little of interest to offer the pipe collecting world. For decades, the Italian pipe industry churned out hundreds of thousands perfectly serviceable but unremarkable smoking instruments. If a pipe man wanted to pull out a pipe that conveyed a sense of status, a brand with undeniable cache, he had to go to a pedigreed English pipe, such as [[Dunhill]] and [[Sasieni]]; a pipe from Italy simply wouldn't have come to mind. Then, in 1946, a man from Cantu, Italy began carving a pipe that would change all of that. That man's name is Carlo Scotti, and his pipe brand is called "Castello". | ||
Carlo's choice for his company's name was an inspired one. He needed a name that had a cognate in many of the European languages (Castle, Castillo, Castelo (Portuguese)), and wanted that name to be evocative of pleasant fantasy. While the name did have a dream like quality, the start up of Castello, and the early years of the company were more akin to a nightmare. Early Castello pipes emulated the English classic shapes, if a man leaned toward that aesthetic, he already had plenty of established brand names to turn to. Carlo outfitted his pipes with Plexiglas, something unfamiliar to men who were quite comfortable with vulcanite. Compounding woes, early Castello pipes were quite small in size, usually carved or sandblasted, and were stamped in a bewildering, rapidly changing manner. Yes, Carlo did pick up a small local following. Some growth did occur via word of mouth. But that growth was too slow, too little, and by 1953, Castello was close to closing the doors. | Carlo's choice for his company's name was an inspired one. He needed a name that had a cognate in many of the European languages (Castle, Castillo, Castelo (Portuguese)), and wanted that name to be evocative of pleasant fantasy. While the name did have a dream like quality, the start up of Castello, and the early years of the company were more akin to a nightmare. Early Castello pipes emulated the English classic shapes, if a man leaned toward that aesthetic, he already had plenty of established brand names to turn to. Carlo outfitted his pipes with Plexiglas, something unfamiliar to men who were quite comfortable with vulcanite. Compounding woes, early Castello pipes were quite small in size, usually carved or sandblasted, and were stamped in a bewildering, rapidly changing manner. Yes, Carlo did pick up a small local following. Some growth did occur via word of mouth. But that growth was too slow, too little, and by 1953, Castello was close to closing the doors. | ||