What our customers say about our smoking pipe in 2001

Archive: 2008 - 2007 - 2006 - 2005 - 2004 - 2003 - 2002 - 2001 - 2000 - 1999 - 1998

Steven Banks -  Redmond, WA,USA, December 29, 2001

Caro Maurizio,
è arrivata la mia Nuvola!!!
Una critica prima di tutto: fai delle pipe che non sono per niente fotogeniche: è dieci volte più bella dal vero che in fotografia!!!
Complimenti per:
1. la confezione: già questa, curata come ne ho viste poche, lascia stupiti per l'elegante e raffinata semplicità.
2. la consegna: rapida e senza nessunissimo problema.
3. la pipa: una linea stupenda, una leggerezza che non si capisce come sia possibile in natura, una radica molto vicina alla perfezione (sei davvero severo con i tuoi cocchi se è vero come è vero che questa pipa è una 4!!! ), perfino il simbolo sul bocchino attira l'attenzione per la bellezza.
Sono davvero contento di essermi fatto questo regalo che non vedo l'ora di rodare, con tutta l'attenzione che meritano le migliori ( hai qualche consiglio per quanto riguarda l'eventuale preparazione? Io pensavo ad un velo di miele...)
Grazie ancora e buonefumate.

Lorenzo Razzolini -  Barberino di Mugello (FI), Italia, December 18, 2001

Hi Maurizio!
I am writing to tell you how pleased I am with my new pipe!
I was amazed that it arrived in only 2 days after placing my order & this was during the Christmas rush!
What can I say about your pipes that hasn't already been said?
I can only echo the praise of others. The fit & finish are perfect!
The smoke hole enters the tobacco chamber dead on, perfect! The draw is just right with no whistling.
The bowl is so smoothly polished that it feels like ceramic!
The inside of the bowl is also perfectly drilled & polished & shows the beauty of the grain in it's natural, unstained finish. The joining of the stem to shank is seamless.
The tenon is smooth & has that recessed cupping which is one of the little touches that distinguishes a well made pipe. The balance & weight are perfect!
The grain is really beautiful, I would consider this as a 'dress-up' pipe ( now I need a nice suit to go along with it;-)! There is exquisite attention to detail throughout, I don't think it gets any better than this! Your pipe is a true work of art, a fine example of those rare instances when art, beauty, craftsmanship & functionality come together in harmony!
It is evident that you put a lot of love into your craft! I haven't smoked it yet (have to wait till Christmas) but I can already tell that it will smoke wonderfully! I'll write again after I smoke it.
This is my first Le Nuvole & I will definitely be wanting more of these!
Best wishes to you & your wife & Happy Holidays!

John Roi -  Cherry Hill, NJ, USA, December 16, 2001

Greetings Maurizio,
I've been enjoying my Le Nuvole pipe for about three months now.
It smokes beautifully, and has already established itself as a treasure of my pipe collection.
What truly captures my heart, though, are the qualities of imagination and sheer artistry that gave birth to this pipe. My Le Nuvole is not a manufactured piece, but rather a beautiful child, lovingly conceived.
I'm writing simply to thank you and Stefania for gracing my collection with such a splendid work of art.
With Kind Regards,

Mark Shelor -  Sierra Vista, AR, USA, December 2, 2001

Bongiorno Senor Maurizio,
Thank you for creating such a work of art!
The pipe, #12, I purchased and received (in just 2 days!) is far more stunning than the picture can portray. Some collect Saseini's, others Dunhills, I believe I have found MY desirable, collectable, pipe.....Le Nuvole!!!!!!!! But, not only is the pipe I purchased a work of art, it is technically flawless. The tobacco chamber is perfectly centered, the draft hole is centered perfectly and enters the bowl at the bottom of the tobacco chamber, the tenon/mortise connection is a perfect fit. The bit is extremely comfortable, the pipe is extremely light in weight and perfectly balanced.
The pipe is a wonderful example of beauty and craftmanship.
I WILL be back for more, in fact I have my eye on #5 ( I hope it hangs around til the New Year).
Senor Maurizio, thank you again!

Reggie Dawson -  Sicklerville, NJ, USA, November 30, 2001

Maurizio,
thank you for making the pignattina graded 4 pipe which I am now smoking.
It is a beautiful pipe which was flawlessly crafted.
The proportions are perfect, weight balanced, and the brier is premium.
You are a real artist.
I have already received many compliments about your pinattina design.
You have provided excellent service to me. I am very happy with all of my Le Nuvole pipes.
I highly recommend your pipes to anyone who wants a perfectly crafted uniquely designed pipe that smokes great.

David Castro -  MD, USA, October 27, 2001

Hello, Maurizio.
This lovely pipe arrived during the day today.
A neighbor received it and brought it by the apartment this evening. :-)
I really like the grain and shape of this pipe. The slight bend to the shank is a nice complement to the lines of the bowl flaring slightly at the top and the incline of the rim.
What do you call this shape? It's really marvelous!
I will take it with me tomorrow evening for my walk and initiate it with some Gawith Hoggarth flake tobacco.
I've gotten in the habit of only using GH flakes in your pipes. I carry one of yours along with a random sandblast and a smooth bent or straight each evening when I go for my 2 to 3 hour stroll around the small town and neighboring town nearby.
The longer I smoke your pipes, the more I wonder why I ever buy anyone else's pipes.
Your pipes fit my needs quite nicely in their size, shape, finish, and smoking qualities.
What can I say? I am a fan of Le Nuvole pipes!

With warmest regards,

Bill Withers -  Decatour - GA, USA, October 18, 2001

This makes 5 of yo

Dear Mr. Tombari,
thank you for a rapid delivery of the pipe #10.
You know, you were a bit dishonest about the delivery time: it wasn't 2-3 days but a bit more than 24 hours!
I read the feedback you have received about the pipes and it leaves me thinking, what can I say you haven't heard already?
It feels like a very good pipe, pops out from my collection of factory pipes like a red flag, and I'm pleased I decided to purchase one.
I guess it will become even more pleasureable a smoker as the carbon layer developes in the bowl.
So far, I haven't experienced the "miracles" some describe, like no heating AT ALL or during first tamping you find that the tobacco is completely burned and so on.
Then again, I have a lot to learn about pipe smoking. ( I guess Le Nuvole will teach me some).
I also like the design, not too complicated yet rich.
It could almost be an object made by a member of a civilized community a thousand years ago.
Can you tell me, if some specific item has inspired the design or has the zulu form been thought?
I don't know why, but the arched top of the bowl brings water to my mind.
The smooth part on the top of the bowl feels nice when I fill the bowl, and it's a good idea in a practical sense.
The hand made logo is also beautiful, it completes the design in a way that I like.
All and all, a piece of art I want to get to know better.
I bow to Mrs. and Mr. Tombari: Grazie!

Ermo Ikavalko -  Espoo- Finland, August 10, 2001

This makes 5 of your wonderful pipes I'll have: ordered 3 on 18 May 01 & have been very happy with them (2 small rusticated & a 3 cloud "zulu amphora").
I'm not usually a fan of rusticated pipes, but your carving and staining technique is the most beautiful I've seen -- simply elegant.
Thank you again. I hope to find more of your pipes to buy in the future.

Richard Floyd -  El Cerrito- CA, USA, August 6, 2001

Un doveroso commento sulla Nuvola ricevuta.
Voglio dire innanzitutto che, almeno per me, c'è sempre stata una certa resistenza ad acquistare una pipa on-line per un semplice motivo: il timore che quel che si riceve sia diverso da quanto si vede sullo schermo.
Ma questo non certo per paura di una qualità inferiore a quella prevista, perché se si compra il lavoro di artisti di cui ben si conosce la serietà anche umana questo rischio non si può correre, bensì proprio per la materialità dell'oggetto (i pipatori a volte impiegano ore o giorni a scegliere una pipa, soppesandola e rigirandosela tra le mani, osservandola e scrutarla in ogni minimo particolare, come quando si deve decidere se dare la propria amicizia ad una persona).
In effetti questa esperienza in parte conferma quanto sopra, in parte costituisce un'emozione a sé, per il clima in cui si è prodotta: un circolo di amici, comprendente anche seri e pregevoli artisti.
Non nutrivo certo timori per quello che avrei ricevuto, ma solo un'ansia di toccare con mano il frutto forse anche di tutta questa atmosfera che da sé sdoganava da qualsiasi diffidenza qualsiasi cosa avessi così ottenuto (comprese le miscele di Dubini che sono state la ciliegina sulla torta).
Ma veniamo al so(li)do della faccenda.
A parte la confezione fatta con gusto e ben presentata senza strafare, che pure conta, aprendola è apparsa veramente una nuvola: più piccola e infinitamente più leggera di quanto potessi veramente aspettarmi.
Sì, quello che si vede sullo schermo è diverso, ma la realtà è tutt'altro che deludente.
Si può dire che Maurizio (e credo non da solo) ha creato la pipa "femmina" (non "da" femmina) e lo dico con tutto l'amore e il rispetto che ho per per le nostre prezione compagne.
Di solito ci si aspetta da una buona pipa che sia più leggera, soppesandola, di quanto non ci si possa aspettare guardandola.
Ma qui si rasenta il paradosso fisico!
COME CAVOLO FAI MAURIZIO?
Forse usi radica cresciuta sulla Luna?
Quello che mi piace delle pipe di Maurizio:
1. Il rigore di una scelta costruttiva, anche a costo di limitarsi sul piano creativo, che garantisce la resa nell'utilizzo: misure e forme standard per il fornelli, rinuncia alla pipa curva, giusta quantità di materia (né di più, né di meno di quello che serve ad una buona pipa), e pensare che credevo che certe "ridondanze" notate sulla sommità di certi fornelli appesantissero la pipa (meschino giudice!).
2. Lo stile unico del design, veramente innovativo, che a volte devo confessare che mia fatto un po' arricciare il naso (purista del cavolo!), cosa che la vista ripaga abbondantemente.
3. La fumata... beh per questo dovrete aspettare un po', infatti ho deciso, per inaugurarla, di aspettare il giorno del mio compleanno, per il quale la nuvoletta costituisce un'auto-regalo.
A proposito, anche il colore è diverso, ma chi se ne frega mica l'avevo scelta per quello (a parte il fatto che è più bello quello reale).

Riccardo Astengo -  Roma - Italy, August 5, 2001

Dear friend Maurizio,
First, forgive me for not writing before now. Secondly, I hope this finds you and Stephania doing very well.
The latter part of May I ordered two grade # 3 pipes, number 30 and 34 at that time.
I received them in about three days from the date you shipped them.
The pipes are superb Maurizio. There was actually no "breaking in" to be done, they both smoked exceptionally well from the first load of tobacco. I am very pleased, both with the artistry and the quality of the pipes.
They botht started darkening from the first couple of smokes and really look great now. The grain is really profound since the darkening process, and I might add, very good grain for what you consider a grade 3 pipe.
I am constantly watching your page as new pipes are introduced and will add more of them to my collection in time. ( One really has to be quick about one that catches the eye....they go rather quickly.)
Thanks for everything.
Tuo Amica, Ed.

Edward Hill -  Clinton - SC, USA, July 18, 2001

Maurizio,
I remember that when you sent the two Le Nuvole pipes to me, you expressed the wish that they would break in nicely, and become good smokers.
I am pleased to report they are becoming better than I had dreamed, with each bowl!
My 3-cloud was the first one, so it's a little ahead of its 1-cloud partner. Together, however, they are really "growing up" to be beautiful smokers, indeed! The one thing I notice is that I have a hard time allowing them to rest sufficiently. They are also quite beautiful, and lovely in the hand, so it's very tempting to want to keep reaching for them constantly!! The smooth one, incidentally, is darkening a little, and has taken on a lovely, rich medium brown color. The richness of its grain now becomes more apparent, and is highlighted even more than when I first saw it.
I thought you'd like to know that your 'babies' are growing up into pipes that honor their maker!
Pretty soon I hope to add to my Le Nuvole department -- and I'll let you know as soon as it becomes possible!

Tony Sheppard -  Naples - FL, USA, May 15, 2001

Hello Maurizio:
I just received your pipes.
The fact that you use UPS and they arrived in a mere 2 days to Baltimore is wonderful. But perhaps more wonderful is the way your pipes smoke. I have become so tired of pipe makers charging 500 to 600 dollars for pipes that are shoddily put together with no thought of the smoker. Your pipes are wonderful. Your holes are dead center and the pipe weights are magnificent. I am now smoking the second pipe of the two I ordered. As you know I just got out of the hospital. I have not had such enjoyment as your pipes are providing since I was first hospitalized. So Bravo to you and your wife.
You definitely have another customer for life. I will be watching for new releases.
Thanks again,

Lance Martin -  Baltimore - MD, USA, May 3, 2001

Cari Maurizio e Stefania,
finalmente anche io ho una nuvola!
Bella, leggera, ben bilanciata. La fumata è buona e non so più quali elogi poter citare: anzi no! Una altra cosa c'è: la pipa fuma da sola! Si arriva senza sforzo alcuno sino alla ultima briciola di tabacco; quando dico questo intendo dire che quando la pipa si spegne è sufficiente girarla....e la cenere cade, nemmeno un filamento di tabacco incombusto!
Grazie per la cura con cui preparate....queste Nuvole!

Paolo Petroli -  Bisceglie (BA)- Italy, April 30, 2001

Mr. Tombari,
Thank you for writing to confirm the order.
I have read wonderful things about your pipes on ASP. This is my first Le Nuvole and I am very excited to receive it! Your web site is very easy to use.
The only thing that is difficult is choosing a pipe!!
Thank you

Ken Teich -  San Francisco - USA, April 20, 2001

Ho iniziato stamattina a rodare la nuvola che ho comprato sabato, che magnifica sorpresa. Il metalacrilato che ritenevo essere duro, è assolutamente magnifico, ti dò ragione in merito allo spessore, è lì il segreto..... e poi la fumata!!!!!!!
E' ineguagliabile, molto docile e poi la pipa è leggerissima. Ti confesso che avevo solo sentito parlare egregiamente delle tue pipe ed ora sono felicissimo di possederne una. Per non parlare della bellezza e dell'eleganza della forma.
I insomma cosa dirti di altro se non grazie di lavorare così, semplice e raffinato.

Michele dalla Mura -  Milano - Italy, March 5, 2001

Dear Maurizio,
I am pleased to tell you that the pipes you sent yesterday arrived at my office this morning. I was amazed to receive this package just one day after it left Italy.
The world is truly becoming a much smaller place.
While I have not yet had the pleasure of smoking either of the pipes, I must tell you how very impressed I am by their design, balance, weight and beautiful grain.
In my many years of pipe smoking and acquiring pipes from a variety of talented artisans, I can truly state that yours are unique in their combination of beauty with function.
It is clear you and your wife are a gifted team.
I have every confidence that I will be a client for many years.
Meanwhile, may I thank you for your cordial and professional assistance.

All the best,

Ed Hagan -  Saddle Brook, NJ - USA, February 27, 2001

Hello Maurizio,
about 30 minutes ago my doorbell rang and guess what arrived?
My pipe! Maurizio - It is very beautiful and extremely well crafted - it is a true work of art and the hallmark of the pipemaker's skills. The graining on the briar is wonderful and the fit of the mouthpiece is exceptional. Maurizio, you teamed up with God to create a little piece of heaven. Tonight, I will light my first "Le Nuvole" - the first of what I know will be many. I will report to you on the smoking abilities of the pipe, but I am certain that they will be great.
Regards! Walter

Dear Maurizio
I lit up my Le Nuvole this evening - it smoked beautifully.
It was one of the very few pipes that I have ever had that smoked the entire bowl of tobacco down to the end and with only the initial lighting.
Maurizio - I AM IN HEAVEN!!!!!
Regards - and remember me if a number 8 ever comes along in your very gifted hands.

Walter Roman -  East Newark, NJ - USA, Genuary 25, 2001

Hello Maurizio,
I received the pipe in great condition on the fourth just two days after its shipment. No need to apologize! You were not at fault! I am just happy to have gotten it.
I did not respond sooner because I wanted to smoke it first.
I have to tell you I am more than completely satisfied with my Le Nuvole.
It was beautiful, moreso than the photograph on your web site could show. It was exceptionally light. The pipe stays cooler than any pipe I own. I was amazed at how little heat the bowl generated; it was pleasingly warm, no more. I enjoyed the Escudo I smoked in it and am sure it will provide me with many moments of Happy Pipesmoking.

Thanks so much for making such a wonderful pipe.
It is my favorite without a doubt!

Gregory Marchiafava -  Baton Rouge, LA - USA, Genuary 8, 2001