Always "Franz"
Behind Franz Pipes is Roberto Franzini, born in 1982. He was born in Domodossola, a small town in Piedmont, and now lives with his family in Saronno, not far from Milan. "Franz" has been his nickname since his youth, which he now uses as a brand name for his pipes.
His Dentist, Angelo Fassi
Roberto Franzini started making pipes in 2012, inspired by a colleague who mentioned that his dentist was an avid pipe smoker and maker. He researched online and learned about the craft of pipe making from videos and other sources. Soon after, he purchased his first briar ebauchons and tools. The mentioned dentist was Angelo Fassi, whose pipes are also available from us, with whom Roberto maintains a close friendship and regular exchange about pipe making.
Persistent Autodidact
As an autodidact, Roberto initially made many mistakes, but through trial and error, he gradually approached his goal. His persistence paid off, and he continuously improved his technique. In Northern Italy, a region renowned for pipe manufacturing, he was able to visit other pipe makers and learn from them. Participating in courses at the Savinelli and Brebbia factories broadened his knowledge and skills in handling the briar material.
Inspired by Danish Masters
Despite his Italian background, Franz Pipes lean more towards Danish design and style elements. Roberto Franzini highly respects the old Danish masters and aspires to be classified within this tradition himself. He admires Danish masters such as Lars Ivarsson, Hans ‘Former’ Nielsen, Jess Chonowitsch, Tom Eltang, and Kazuhiro Fukuda from Japan.
Preferred Shapes
His shapes display classic Danish elements, such as the "Danish Billiard" shape, which combines classic forms with a slightly elongated Lovat stem and a wider, rounder bowl. Also, the "Danish Egg," influenced by Ivarsson and Former, is a frequent motif he greatly enjoys quoting. Likewise, Danish Bulldogs and Rhodesians, often with a flat, broad bowl. Most of his pipes are smooth and show a dense, even grain that stylistically is closer to the Italian tradition. Some of his pipes are also sandblasted.
Only Vulcanite
Roberto works exclusively with briar and ebonite, preferring classic colours and clear shapes, and occasionally uses fine woods and horn for decorative accents on the stem. Unlike many Italian makers who have switched to modern mouthpiece materials like acrylic, Franzini remains loyal to vulcanite, which is more comfortable and softer on the teeth of pipe smokers.
From Sketch to Pipe
He begins each pipe with a sketch, develops the dimensions from there, and shapes the briar according to his vision. His designs often feature a slight forward tilt of the pipe head, harmonious and precise curves, and occasional asymmetrical elements. Variations of the Dublin, the Rhodesian, and the Brandy shapes are common in Roberto's work and demonstrate his personal interpretation and taste.
Few Pipes for Few Dealers
Currently, Roberto works part-time as a pipe maker and produces 50-60 Franz Pipes per year, which are offered through Italian specialist dealers and us. Although he rarely uses social media, he has his own Facebook and Instagram pages.
