Castello: Difference between revisions

Marco has a charismatic smile and a natural friendliness about him. He travels to the United States three times each year--for the Retail Tobacco Dealers Association's annual convention and for the annual pipe shows in Chicago and Richmond. He shook his head and laughed when I suggested that he attend a Los Angeles pipe show. Considering how weary I was feeling after flying across the ocean, I was totally sympathetic.

Marco brought out dozens of beautiful Castello pipes, including some that were made decades ago. He also opened the drawers in a shelf behind the counter, one at a time, and put them on the glass counter top. Each drawer contained about a dozen gorgeous Castellos, and he must have shown me four or five drawers. I was suddenly feeling grateful to the two fanatical American collectors, Chuck Stanion and Ed Lehman, who strongly recommended that I visit Marco on my trip to Italy. I selected a straight grain Collection Fiammata billiard with a plateau top. It is a beautiful pipe, but I really didn't enjoy smoking it because the mouthpiece felt so thick in my mouth.

''This article was originally published in February 2005 in The Pipe Collector, the North American Society of Pipe Collectors ([http://www.naspc.org/ NASPC]) newsletter, and is used by permision. Consider joining. It's a great orginazation.''

== Dating Castellos ==