Don Carlos from Cagli, Italy, page 4.

"To smoke a pipe is not to be considered as a vice, it is art and a way of life!"

Don Carlos, beautiful creations by Bruto Sordini, Cagli, Italy, page 4.

The new DC logo
The new
symbol This is the new logo or symbol on the Don Carlos stems. I believe my rusticated bulldog is the first pipe sold with this logo! There is a thread on the "alt. smokers.pipes" news group going on at present about it. Of course the views vary; for some it is too complicated, while others approve it because music is one of Bruto's hobbies.

A rusticated, dark bulldog with the new logo (March 14. 2000)

A stylish, straight, dark tanned bulldog

Top view of the DC bulldog: a pure tobacco chamber

Perfectly placed logo
The clef on the stem This pipe travelled from Cagli, Italy via Bressago, Switzerland to my home in Hämeenlinna, Finland.
The Swiss Tarek Manadily visited Bruto and some other pipe artisans in Cagli and he was able to talk Bruto into making me this bulldog according to my prescription. Despite it was saturday, Bruto created the pipe while Tarek was watching.
I got this pipe today, so it took only little more than a week since the pipe was made till I now have it in my hands. So all this happened really fast! The parcel was opened by customs but they did not charge anything, which is great as there was also two samples of pipe tobacco in it: Medium Virginia and Full Virginia from Gawith. I have not yet tried either of them. Also the bulldog himself is still waiting to be filled and smoked, but I will smoke something in it soon and will return telling my experiences in the near future.
As you can see, the logo is pefectly placed on the stem. Great work altogether!

An interestingly shaped smooth Don Carlos (February 13, 2001)

I do not know how to call this freeform shape, but this is a setter!

This is a never smoked pipe, which I bought from eBay. It is a smooth "one note" model and is made earlier than the rusticated squat Bulldog with the new clef logo above. The pipe was a great bargain as it cost me well under $100 s&h included.

It is difficult to name this shape. The diamond shank and stem are those of a typical Bulldog,
while the bowl resembles more of a Poker, even if the walls are somewhat curving in, i.e. concave.
Perhaps it is best to call this just a nice, originally shaped freehand with diamond shank.

I asked Tarek Manadily about this pipe. He supposed it to be one of the older production of Bruto

and resembling somewhat of the famous "Melos" shape. Tarek wrote he would ask Bruto about this pipe

forwarding him the link to my page. It did not take many hours till he e-mailed Bruto's view to me:

"Dear Antti, Bruto tells me that it is definitely an old piece. He couldn't figure out more".
Happy Pipe Smoking,
Tarek

Don Carlos viewed from above
Rounded, thick rim and of course no precarbonization

Don Carlos from right side
Also the right side shows some very nice flame grain

First smoking experiences

I filled the virgin bowl half full with Escudo and noticed my anticipation based on my

earlier DC:s to be true: this pipe smokes great right from the first puffs down to the

heel! Despite of its pure, virgin, non-precarbonized tobacco chamber it allowed mellow,

pure and cool smokes. It is magical how Bruto manages to get his pipes smoking this

wonderfully right from the first puffs!

Back to the first Don Carlos page

Mark Tinsky and the "Americans"

To my pipe photos index page

To my pipes front page

Created March 14, 2000, updated February 15, 2001