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[[Image:Caminetto.jpg|left|thumb]] | [[Image:Caminetto.jpg|left|thumb]] | ||
Caminetto's history really started in 1959 when '''Guiseppe Ascorti''' ("Peppino" for his friends) from Cucciago was hired by '''Carlo Scotti''' and his brand '''[[Castello]]''' in nearby Cantu. Since it's foundation in 1947 Castello had substantially contributed to re-gained fame of Italian pipemaking. Talent and assiduity soon made Ascorti one of Scotti's most important pipemakers. A man he counted on for the future. But Ascorti had his own farreaching plan: he wanted to work as a self-employed pipemaker! After | Caminetto's history really started in 1959 when '''Guiseppe Ascorti''' ("Peppino" for his friends) from Cucciago was hired by '''Carlo Scotti''' and his brand '''[[Castello]]''' in nearby Cantu. Since it's foundation in 1947 Castello had substantially contributed to re-gained fame of Italian pipemaking. Talent and assiduity soon made Ascorti one of Scotti's most important pipemakers. A man he counted on for the future. But Ascorti had his own farreaching plan: he wanted to work as a self-employed pipemaker! After his wife Paola had taken over her parent's small greengrocery in the early 60s this plan became more concret. The additional income from the shop enabled him to buy toolery and machines little by little to furnish his own workshop. By the end of 1968 he was ready to go and he left Castello without a prolonged farewell. Furthermore Ascorti succeeded to persuade and wooe away young and highly talented pipemaker '''Luigi [[Radice]]''' (born 1939), who was his next door neighbor in Cucciago, to join him. Carlo Scotti, whom everyone otherwise knows as a perfect gentleman, is reported to have found some drastic expressions for what he thought about them... | ||
Ascorti & Radice started to manufacture pipes now under their own administration. One of the first, who agreed to store their pipes was '''Gianni Davoli''', proprietor of a tobacco shop in Milan. The situation was perfect: two pipemakers in search of a distributor and a pipe merchant in search of a mainstay brand to market. Davoli - via friends and relations in the States - had made upgradable contacts with US pipe wholesalers and traders. He shipped some pipes across the pond for inspection and received proper feedback for the very high quality of the pipes. So he shortly after offered to be the sole distributor worldwide and Ascorti & Radice happily accepted. | Ascorti & Radice started to manufacture pipes now under their own administration. One of the first, who agreed to store their pipes was '''Gianni Davoli''', proprietor of a tobacco shop in Milan. The situation was perfect: two pipemakers in search of a distributor and a pipe merchant in search of a mainstay brand to market. Davoli - via friends and relations in the States - had made upgradable contacts with US pipe wholesalers and traders. He shipped some pipes across the pond for inspection and received proper feedback for the very high quality of the pipes. So he shortly after offered to be the sole distributor worldwide and Ascorti & Radice happily accepted. | ||
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[[Image:Caminetto_05.jpg|left|thumb]] | [[Image:Caminetto_05.jpg|left|thumb]] | ||
Ironically enough, the increasing demand drove Ascorti and Radice to the limits of their production soon. The brand had been introduced successfully in Germany and some pipes could be placed in Italy, too. By the end of 1970 further hands were needed. Even Ascorti's elder son Roberto (current owner) helped with the stamping and shipping of the pipes when he was still a schoolboy. The most important employee is '''Cesare Vigano''', who has worked for Caminetto / Ascorti for more than thirty years. To bring about a sounder solution Davoli invested a considerable amount of money in modern pipemaking machinery and so he went from distributor to become co-owner of Caminetto. By 1973 he held the vast majority of the company's capital. | Ironically enough, the increasing demand drove Ascorti and Radice to the limits of their production soon. The brand had been introduced successfully in Germany and some pipes could be placed in Italy, too. By the end of 1970 further hands were needed. Even Ascorti's elder son Roberto (born 1958; current owner) helped with the stamping and shipping of the pipes when he was still a schoolboy. The most important employee is '''Cesare Vigano''', who has worked for Caminetto / Ascorti for more than thirty years. To bring about a sounder solution Davoli invested a considerable amount of money in modern pipemaking machinery and so he went from distributor to become co-owner of Caminetto. By 1973 he held the vast majority of the company's capital. | ||
The boom, especially in the USA, continued strongly. Production increasing steadily 3,000, 5,000, 7,000 pipes per year were made placing Caminetto at the top of the US sales in their market segment. The entire thing really went to be a grotesque. The Tinderbox catalogue 1974 celebrates Gianni Davoli as "master pipe maker and designer" and "the sole creator of the Caminetto"! Not a single word mentions Ascorti or Radice! | The boom, especially in the USA, continued strongly. Production increasing steadily 3,000, 5,000, 7,000 pipes per year were made placing Caminetto at the top of the US sales in their market segment. The entire thing really went to be a grotesque. The Tinderbox catalogue 1974 celebrates Gianni Davoli as "master pipe maker and designer" and "the sole creator of the Caminetto"! Not a single word mentions Ascorti or Radice! | ||
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First Luigi Radice became more and more discontented with the way of pipe manufacturing which became visibly factory like as production was increased furthermore. Caminetto worked along shape numbers and there was no room for his own creative pipemaking and personal developement. He was also afraid that the swollen up production could not be conducive for quality in the long run. Radice started quarreling with Ascorti about the future course of Caminetto. But they weren't able to find a solution and Radice, being an employed pipemaker rather than a partner, could not assert himself. | First Luigi Radice became more and more discontented with the way of pipe manufacturing which became visibly factory like as production was increased furthermore. Caminetto worked along shape numbers and there was no room for his own creative pipemaking and personal developement. He was also afraid that the swollen up production could not be conducive for quality in the long run. Radice started quarreling with Ascorti about the future course of Caminetto. But they weren't able to find a solution and Radice, being an employed pipemaker rather than a partner, could not assert himself. | ||
Ascorti shared Radice's scruples about quality to a certain degree and he also wanted to slack off a bit, but Davoli had gained almost total control. He hied Ascorti on. "More" | Ascorti shared Radice's scruples about quality to a certain degree and he also wanted to slack off a bit, but Davoli had gained almost total control. He hied Ascorti on. "More!" | ||
The next controversy was about Roberto. The young man had visited a school of arts and meanwhile also ended his service in the army. Roberto didn't want to go to an university. Instead he started helping in the workshop with pipe repairs and making his first few pipes. Now his father wanted to bring him in as a full-employed pipemaker. But Davoli refused strictly as he was afraid to loose influence to a strong alliance between father and son inside the company. | The next controversy was about Roberto. The young man had visited a school of arts and meanwhile also ended his service in the army. Roberto didn't want to go to an university. Instead he started helping in the workshop with pipe repairs and making his first few pipes. Now his father wanted to bring him in as a full-employed pipemaker. But Davoli refused strictly as he was afraid to loose influence to a strong alliance between father and son inside the company. | ||
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Luigi Radice went through huge difficulties, but in the run of 1980 he also managed to establish himself as independent pipemaker. | Luigi Radice went through huge difficulties, but in the run of 1980 he also managed to establish himself as independent pipemaker. | ||
Gianni Davoli stayed behind, now owning a pipe workshop without any pipemaker. Strange enough, the old Caminetto workshop caught fire and burned down to ashes. | Gianni Davoli, last chimney standing, stayed behind, now owning a pipe workshop without any pipemaker. Strange enough, the old Caminetto workshop caught fire shortly after and burned down to ashes. | ||