Italian Estates: Radice Rind Bent Billiard (2017) 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 Lovat-like sense of proportion with neoclassical shaping sensibilities, this bent Billiard from Radice is brimming with Italian appeal. The bowl stands tall with an upright posture, its walls tapering slightly as they travel from the firm, pronounced heel toward the flat rim. A round, protracted shank lifts gently out of the transition from the bowl and meets an abbreviated, gently downturned saddle stem, the arrangement's languid posture offering a comfortable clench. Radice's Rind finish dresses the stummel in a dark, craggy rustication, featuring plenty of stimulating texture for the hand to appreciate.