Pipas Soler
From Pipes, Artisans and Trademarks, by José Manuel Lopes
Jean-Pier Soler was born in Cogolin. His father, Pedro Soler, emigrated to the South of France during the Spanish Civil War.
Pierre Piérolat, a Frenchman who was the brother-in-law of the current owner's grandfather, established himself in Catalonia. The Soler family has been in the business of buying and cutting briar and exporting ebauchons since 1890. Jean-Pier started in the business when he was 14 years old.
Jean-Pier started making some pipes in the 1950s, as a hobby at first, and also made other objects in briar, such as walking sticks. His pieces are genuine examples of handicraft: free form pipes, almost always with a rough exotic look. "I see a beautiful briar block and immediately imagine the design that will be the start of the piece", he says. "It's marvelous to make a pipe in an artisanal shape."
Soler regularly participates in smoking competitions, where he takes the opportunity to display his models, sometimes with defects in the stems, which he buys make and that don't always blend with his original works in wood.
Contact information
Website: http://www.pipassoler.es Email: mailto:solerpipas@hotmail.com Joan P. Soler Molina Fabricante y exportador de brezo Venta de escalabornes y Pipas artesanas hechas a mano Passeig del Firal 30 17170 Amer (Girona) Spain Tel (34)972 43 02 49 - Fax. (34) 972 43 02 49