Italian Estates: Radice Bark Canadian with Faux Bamboo (O) (T/B) (Oil Cured) (2004) Tobacco Pipe

A rather generous, yet shorter than average, iteration of the Canadian shape, this piece from Radice is finished in the craggy rustication of the Bark series about its bowl, before transitioning into the Italian marque's iconic faux-bamboo carving style at the shank. The smooth-topped rim offers a pleasantly elegant cue, framing a deep chamber with thick surrounding walls and offering added contrast to the craggy surfaces beneath it. The bamboo, too, showcases a smooth finish and warm mahogany stain, revealing some handsome grain amidst its organic texture. The stem here, too, is rather unique, in that it features twin-bore drilling, and the stummel is Oil Cured: something Radice seldom does with their new pipes.

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.