Italian Estates: Radice Clear Billiard (GO) (for Neatpipes) Tobacco Pipe

Crafted for Neatpipes by Radice, this Billiard initially appears as a rather compact piece, with a short shank, trim stem, and robust bowl. However, this is actually quite a robust piece, coming in at more than six inches long and offering an imposing presence in hand in true Italian neoclassical fashion. The bowl is the center of the visual weight within this composition, boasting impressively thick walls that rise, cylindrical, to a flat rim. A wide transition out back gives way to the aforementioned trim shank, which is extended by a fitment of light wood at a slim ring of black acrylic. Primed for lengthy smoking sessions thanks to its cavernous chamber, this pipe is dressed in Radice's Clear smooth finish, revealing a lovely cross grain pattern at the flanks of the bowl, while displaying a dense ocean of birdseye at the fore.

Luigi Radice was born in 1939 and began his career working with briar in 1961, finding employment at the venerable Castello workshop. While working for the now legendary brand, Luigi met Giuseppe Ascorti, and the two left together in 1968 to found Caminetto, where he stayed for 12 years, before departing to establish Radice in 1980. With help from his son, Gianluca, and his father, Paolo, Luigi began producing pipes in a striking neoclassical style which quickly amassed acclaim from enthusiasts of such stylized works. Luigi was later joined by his other son, Marzio, and the family-run workshop has since become known not just for their unique take on the neoclassical style of pipe making, but their singular accenting and finishing techniques.