Maurizio Tombari

Pipemaker

©Wilson Santinelli

©Nicola Paci

The pipemaker

Maurizio founded his workshop in 1996
Since then, he’s been manufacturing around 100 pipes a year
His pipes are called nuvole (clouds) because they are unique and light

Maurizio Tombari believes in destiny. It was the summer of 1978 when he first picked up a smoking pipe. He had just obtained his degree in painting at Urbino’s Academy of Fine Arts and he didn’t imagine he would become a pipemaker. But he was looking for a job and the first one he found was at Mastro de Paja, the most famous pipe workshop in Pesaro, his hometown. Maurizio was a quick learner and soon he stood out for his skills in carving. Years later, after a short period as an interior decorator and a longer one in another pipe workshop, in 1996 he started his own business and in 1998 launched his website, becoming a pioneer in e-commerce. Since then, Tombari’s briar pipes have been sold and appreciated all over the world.

Interview

©Nicola Paci

©Nicola Paci

Why did you call your pipes "nuvole" (clouds)?: Because they are light, elegant and unique. Most designs, from the simplest to the most original and bizarre ones of the Zed line, belong to my wife Stefania. She began doodling pipes almost by chance and proved to be extremely talented.
Do you work alone for the making part?: I manufacture each piece from beginning to end: I carve, sand, make the mouthpiece and so on. Before launching my workshop I knew just some stages: over time, I had to learn all the others. The whole process is so long that I never make more than 100-120 pipes a year.
What’s the most difficult part of your job?: Pipes are made of briar root coming from erica arborea. As a natural material, it may have flaws: eliminating them with sandpaper can be challenging. The finer the grain, the better the pipe. Yet, perfect straight grain pipes are extremely rare. In 25 years, I have made just two or three.
Could your craft be considered in danger?: Quite the contrary! Thanks to hipster culture, smoking a pipe is no longer associated with old people but has become popular among the young, too. Artisanal pipemaking has been flourishing. Details make the difference: that’s why I pay so much attention to them.

Maurizio Tombari is an expert artisan: he began his career in 1978