An Italian pipe maker born in Florence, Gian Maria Gamboni now resides in Rome. Immersed in Renaissance art during his youth and with memories of his father — a sculptor and pipe smoker whose studio was often visited by other artists — it's no surprise Gamboni wanted to make his own mark in the world of finer things. He picked up pipe smoking in the 1990s and fell in love with the hobby, so much so that after visiting Becker & Musico, he tried his hand at pipe-making (Becker's influence in shaping can clearly be seen in his work).