The Becker story begins in the old 1970, when Fritz Becker, in a garret in the center of Rome, enthusiast of design, sculpture and painting, started to make some pipes; it was a hard work made with rasps and sand papers. I often hovered there, that garret enchanted me. It was a plase full of things, smells, where the quotidian surrendered to fantasy and creativity. In 1974 with the development of his project, i started to attend the place more and more often, involving myself more deeply. The pipes made in that period were sold with the name of Carmignani, old Roman store, up to 1979 when we entered the market with the new brand " Becker " . With larger spaces and my full time engagement, the number of finished pipes began to increase up to taking the decision to enlarge our market, landing with success in several specialized stores in Italy. My father has always stayed near to me, ready to counsel and help me, but I had the responsability to plan and personally shape the largest part of the manufacture, particularly the Free Line, which I have always preferred.

Slowly we appear into an international market. But in a few years we received a prompt and positive return from the American market and in the succeeding years we developed a very good work, rich of satisfactions and recognitions, up today when I have the pleasure to serve customers from all over the world, Japan, China, Russia. Few pipes, but severely respecting the hand made. What I can say about my work, after 33 years of activity? The pipe? A passion! Create it? A privilege! The hours spent in the workshop are a gift! The smell which flows out from the briar during working, the grain that slowly show up, the project which become reality, caressing with sandpapers the surfaces to refine the lines and bents of the composition.

Yes, a privilege! And before ... going to the sawmill. Choosing among thousand of plateaux, those who the experience suggests, imaging pipes to make in the future. Projecting them with care so as the design do not prejudices the technical and functional aspect, my responsability and expectation of each smokers where with i share the same passion.


Paolo Becker

About the pipes nomenclature:
In 1979, my father classified Becker pipe grades by using the universally known code of playing card symbols. This nomenclature, except for the recent introduction of grades "A" "B" and "C", has remained unaltered and the stamps are still the original ones that have been used since 1979.