Italian Estates: Radice Clear Bent Apple (2012) Tobacco Pipe

With years of experience working for such style-defining Italian marques as Castello and Caminetto, Luigi Radice sought to apply his knowledge to crafting his own pipes, establishing the Radice brand in 1980. Joined by his father, Paolo, and his son, Gianluca, Luigi would further develop his distinctively bold shaping style within his family-run workshop, which is handsomely illustrated here. This piece from Radice combines a rotund Apple bowl with a jutting, Cutty-like spur at the heel for a distinctive design overall. The bowl's plump, supple walls curve toward the rim, whose softly undulating form is echoed by the heel spur and shank end alike for a unified aesthetic. Paired to the bowl out back is a subtly flaring shank and trim, slightly bent tapered stem, the pair's vertically inclined posture well-suited for comfortable smoking. Dressed in Radice's smooth Clear finish, the stummel showcases handsome birdseye beneath a warm, auburn stain.