Pipe ≠ Ago?

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Anybody know this pipemaker? I have stumbled unto his work while browsing on FB...He seems to do really nice work, and his prices are right!

Here are a few of his creations. Obviously, he's on the classic side with a nice Italian touch.







His sandblasts are awesomely light, but well defined at the same time. Wow!
 
WOW :cheers:

I would love to know more about this carver.

Where do I find his website, please ?
 
I have one of his pieces actually. Although due to translation issues I'm not sure if he makes them himself or if he's working with a team of pipemakers to make them.

Anyways I have one and it is actually really nice. My only issue with it is that it's really big I got a straight pot and it's enormous. His pipes are very much in the Pesaro school of pipemaking with large bowls and generally big pipes. I should have paid more attention to the dimensions. Oh well.

He's only got a facebook page as far as I know and he was easy to deal with although he messages me on facebook sometimes asking me if I want to buy more pipes which is sort of annoying. I've assured him that I'll let him know if I plan to buy another pipe from him but I still get messages every 5 months or so.

 
great logo!

what are the prices like?

never have been a fan of the buffed sandblast ala Ser Jacopo, but I like those shapes.
 
Lord Guyrox":lyc5agxw said:
Anybody know this pipemaker? I have stumbled unto his work while browsing on FB...He seems to do really nice work, and his prices are right! His sandblasts are awesomely light, but well defined at the same time. Wow!
Thanks for posting this. I search him out on facebook and friended him so as to get a stream of pictures. Search for Gianmarco Ago. He posts often. The pipes are indeed very much like Ser Jacs - right up my alley. In fact, I just bought this pipe for my 54th birthday. Hopefully it will arrive in time!

 
This guy got in shit on facebook representing himself as a pipe maker.

He's buying from one of the small factories over there, I can't remember which one right now, Mastro de Paja or such. It's just another re-badged Italian midgrade. This is not a bad thing, but how they are marketed, it's a little shadowy. He definitely doesn't mind you thinking that he himself makes these pipes custom. As far as I know, that is not the case.
 
Sasquatch":ku1kop1j said:
This guy got in shit on facebook representing himself as a pipe maker.  

He's buying from one of the small factories over there, I can't remember which one right now, Mastro de Paja or such.   It's just another re-badged Italian midgrade.   This is not a bad thing, but how they are marketed, it's a little shadowy.    He definitely doesn't mind you thinking that he himself makes these pipes custom.  As far as I know, that is not the case.  
You mean that there is a market for re-badged italian midgrade pipes? First I've heard of it. Where do I look for more info on this?
Also, where on facebook do I look for the criticisms? (you can pm me on this).

Regardless, I'm not sure if I care if he made it or not. I don't view pipes in terms of resale value so as long as I like the pipe's smoking qualities and aesthetics, I'm good. Once I receive it, I will provide a review.
 
They're not all that affordable, in my opinion, when it comes to their appearance and quality.

I found a few I liked, but I'd buy from another maker for the prices I see.
 
Nice looking pipes for sure, but some are a bit pricey!!!  You don't need to spend big bucks to get a good smoking pipe. You can find a few pipe makers who are members here on the BoB that sell custom made well crafted, stunning pipes for under $175.00 with a good return policy. 

KEEP ON PUFFING!!!
 
dougc905":lexrcjg9 said:
Sasquatch":lexrcjg9 said:
This guy got in shit on facebook representing himself as a pipe maker.  

He's buying from one of the small factories over there, I can't remember which one right now, Mastro de Paja or such.   It's just another re-badged Italian midgrade.   This is not a bad thing, but how they are marketed, it's a little shadowy.    He definitely doesn't mind you thinking that he himself makes these pipes custom.  As far as I know, that is not the case.  
You mean that there is a market for re-badged italian midgrade pipes? First I've heard of it. Where do I look for more info on this?
Also, where on facebook do I look for the criticisms? (you can pm me on this).

Regardless, I'm not sure if I care if he made it or not. I don't view pipes in terms of resale value so as long as I like the pipe's smoking qualities and aesthetics, I'm good. Once I receive it, I will provide a review.

There obviously IS a market for re-badged Italian pipes. Chris Morgan's "Bones" pipes are the beginning point of this.

This guy was accused basically of buying someone's factory seconds, and marketing them under his own brand. There's nothing wrong with doing this. The issue was, he was not very forthcoming about who was making the pipes.

This doesn't make them bad pipes. This doesn't mean no one should buy them. But I think buyers in this day and age expect and deserve reasonable clarity about such issues.

I can't dig up a bunch of posts from a year ago on facebook. It doesn't work that way. But dig to find out who makes these pipes.

Again, I'm not saying don't buy 'em - they could be a great pipe and a great value.
 
The not equal logo on the stem is a giveaway. That sort of thing requires a purpose-built, heated, embosser type of machine (like an arbor press, sort of), and custom aluminum extrusion. The first is very expensive, and the second must be bought in large minimum quantities from a custom fabricator, which is also expensive.

Not "lone artisan" stuff at all.
 
Sasquatch":au79umfx said:
There obviously IS a market for re-badged Italian pipes.   Chris Morgan's "Bones" pipes are the beginning point of this.

This guy was accused basically of buying someone's factory seconds, and marketing them under his own brand.  There's nothing wrong with doing this.  The issue was, he was not very forthcoming about who was making the pipes.     
All of the criticism must have happened a while ago. I looked up Chris Morgan and found that at least nowadays, he definitely states that at least the bones pipes are seconds from a factory. Gianmarco Ago says that his pipes result from him meeting artisans. To me that implies that he is selling their product. So they must have changed their marketing. Whatever. I recall when my Dad's friend was the manager at the Brigham factory in Toronto, followed by a fellow that I met through the Toronto pipe club. Along the way, Brigham pipes suddenly began being Italian products - just in time to enter the US market. All the Toronto carvers went off into retirement or unemployment. However, this wasn't announced. It just happened. If I hadn't been speaking to the pipe club guy, I wouldn't have known. A similar story could be stretched out of the whole custombilt / yellowbole / etc empire that was created by buying smaller factories. Marketing then as opposed to now. Buying a pipe from an artisan such as Sasquatch implies knowing who laid hands on the pipe from beginning to end and that's what lots of buyers expect today. I have a collection of Ser Jac pipes and I know that the pipes are most likely the product of a few people. Pipe factories. You could look at Mr. Ago and Mr. Morgan as simply being the marketing department for pipe factories.

On the plus side, at least some carvers in Italy are getting paid.

Anyway, my happy announcement of a new pipe purchase has been blown up. Anybody reading this thread now knows the story and can make their own decision. I'm still looking forward to receiving the pipe, having a closer look and then smoking it. As promised, I'll report back.

I haven't posted in a long long time. See what happened? Sigh. Anyway, it is good to see LL posting. There was a time when he went quiet on this board and was missed.  LL - not sure how long you've been back posting but it's good to see.
 
Doug, enjoy your new pipe and I'm sure it will be well crafted. Have a 
HAPPY 54th BIRTHDAY :cheers::cheers::cheers:

KEEP ON PUFFING!!!
 
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