Italian Estates: Radice Silk Cut Bent Billiard (2023) Tobacco Pipe

Almost twenty years before Radice was established, its founder, Luigi Radice, began his journey with briar pipes at the now-iconic Castello workshop. In 1968, Luigi and Giuseppe Ascorti teamed up to create the Caminetto brand but Luigo eventually left and founded Radice in 1980. With the help of his father and sons, Gianluca and Marzio, Luigi created a family business known for their unique spin on neoclassical pipes, as well as their singular accenting and finishing techniques.

This Billiard from Radice is a muscular rendition of the traditional shape. From a full-bodied heel, the walls of the bowl climb high as they taper inward to a rim that looks into a capacious tobacco chamber, ideal for longer smoking sessions. Out of a tightly-knit transition, the shank begins the aft's bend as it flares toward a broad face. Protruding from the shank's wide face, an acrylic stem completes the bend at the bit, giving this pipe a jaw-hanging posture. The jet-black mouthpiece is an excellent complement to the chestnut stain on the sandblasted stummel, which displays handsome growth rings.