Italian Estates: Radice Rind Billiard (E) (2016) 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. Combining a Canadian-like sense of proportions with neoclassical shaping sensibilities, this Billiard from Radice is a sleek, dynamic take on the form. The bowl stands tall with an upright posture, its walls tapering slightly as they travel from the firm heel toward the flat rim. A crisp diamond shank lifts gently out of the transition from the bowl, stretching far as it carries a gradual taper into an abbreviated stem, the overall arrangement lending a touch more visual weight to the bowl. Radice's Rind finish dresses the stummel in a craggy rustication with a warm stain, save for the rim, which is left smooth for contrast.