Sir Del Nobile

Sir del Nobile is an Italian pipe manufacturer based in the province of Livorno, Tuscany. The brand's origin lies in an American pipe company's decision to build its own logistics arm in Europe. New York-based S. M. Frank & Co. opened a subsidiary in Livorno in the early 1960s under the name KYM Europe Srl, from which it began shipping goods not only across Europe but also to Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.

The name's initials brought together three of the parent company's brands: Kaywoodie, Yello-Bole, and Medico.

From Warehouse to Workshop

Conceived on paper as nothing more than a warehouse and distribution center, the facility soon began operating its own workbenches as well. In 1965, a pipe workshop opened under the same roof, and the pipes coming out of it were sold under the name Sir del Nobile. The American brands' European distribution hub thus turned into a production address.

For many years, the bulk of the workshop's day-to-day business consisted of Medico pipes and filters. These pipes were fitted with 6 and 9 millimeter filter chambers, both sizes corresponding to established filter standards in Europe. While the Medico name is better known in America for its disposable absorbent filter, the European production was shaped around these chamber sizes customary on the continent.