D'Capo (Pablo Minotti)

D'Capo is the brand of handmade pipes Argentine maker Pablo Minotti carves one at a time at his bench in Buenos Aires. The name recalls the musical term "da capo," marking a return to the start of a passage; the family behind the brand does in fact come from musical-instrument and furniture craftsmanship. As production has never been large in scale, D'Capo-stamped pipes are considered uncommon pieces today.

Family Background

The Minotti family comes from the town of Cabiate, in the Como region of northern Italy. Records indicate the family has been known since the late 19th century for ebony furniture-making and lutherie (stringed-instrument making). The town lies within the woodworking basin of the region that gave rise to the Como school of Italian pipemaking; Minotti's later turn to pipes is thus not entirely disconnected from the family trade. The brand's own promotion has emphasized this dual belonging, describing its products as Italian-crafted pipes carved in Argentina.