Castello was created in 1947 by Carlo Scotti in Cantu, Italy. He hired craftsmen who would produce pipes beautifully shaped, finished, and of the highest caliber in all aspects. The name of the brand was good sense, as Castello is recognizable similarly in different languages as meaning "castle," something that is strong, well-made, and admired by many. His son in law, Franco Coppo, now runs the factory. Castello pipes have a tremendous and loyal following of smokers and collectors. Each pipe is made by hand by one of six artisans, from aged briar and slab acrylic (in different colors). Smooth finishes are available in many different shades and colors, as are the rusticated "Sea Rock" and sandblasted "Old Antiquari" finishes. While the company chooses to use few accents, they sometimes make impressive use of silver and a few other materials. Producing roughly 3,500 pipes annually in recent years, they are collected and admired all over the world.