Brebbia’s pipe museum was born in 1979 thanks to Enea Buzzi, founder of the Pipe Brebbia srl and noted pipe collector and is situated in Brebbia (VA) in Via Piave 21.

In reality, Enea Buzzi started collecting pipes after the war so as to study the competition and then a phase of disorganised and almost obsessive collecting followed of the most varied pipes by shape, year of manufacture and origin. Whilst time passed, he effectuated research on the evolution of the pipe going back to the start of various cultures.

After having collected approximately 6,000 pipes the most difficult phase followed of classifying the pipes.

He also felt the necessity and the pleasure to make public his studies and classification.

Enea Buzzi did not limit himself to collecting antique pipes, but also publications, books and magazines, binding them yearly and consequently the Brebbia Museum is unique of its type because it not only brings together various thousands of pipes but also the publications about pipes effectuated all over the world and an accurate study of the design of the pipe divided into various periods.

 We start with the Calumet pipes of the North American Indians who were the forerunners of pipe smokers and tobacco and then we pass on to an ample collection of Meerschaum pipes (mainly of Austrian production), gypsum and terracotta pipes, mainly Italian, French and Dutch.

On to the traditional Austro-Hungarian porcelain pipes to which must be added the first French and British pipes in briarwood to the first successful attempts at making briarwood pipes in Italy.

There are lots of oddities such as the cigar-shaped pipe designed for motorcyclists (there was small bowl inside with a spring-type tobacco press), the radiator pipe with an aerated bowl to keep it in the hand in hot tropical climates; pipes with telescopic mouthpieces to give a cooler smoke; pipes with dual bowls with valves to taste two types of tobaccos, mini water pipe; patents of all types to make more simple (or maybe more complicated) the difficult art of pipe smoking.

To complete the collection of oddities, there is a large assortment of sculptured pipes with real small sculptures, amongst which are pipes with covers reproducing famous époque characters.

On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the death of Gianni Brera, sports journalist, the cultural association of his birthplace Bosisio Parini (LC), for financial reasons put under auction his collection of pipes.

This collection was acquired by the Province of Varese, aware of the historical roots of pipe production in our zone and was given to our museum under custody.

This pipe collection further enriches the entire historical collection of Brebbia.