Radice: 40th Anniversary Rind Billiard with Silver (11) Tobacco Pipe

Luigi Radice created the Radice workshop in 1980, having previously helped co-found the Caminetto brand and notably worked several years as a carver for Castello in Cantù, Italy. Luigi, along with his sons, Gianluca and Marzio, have cultivated a respected reputation within the pipe making world, offering quality craftsmanship and pipes that are traditionally inclined and designed to be exceptional smokers. 2020 marks the 40th anniversary of Radice's establishment and to commemorate the momentous occasion, the esteemed workshop has crafted a special, limited-edition series of pipes. The singular shape chosen for the anniversary line is a robust Billiard that exemplifies the muscular aesthetic found within Italian pipe making, but has been done in a way that's immediately recognizable as "Radice."

The bowl is broad and quite robust, with a firm, prominent heel that further testifies to the piece's Italian origins. The stout shank continues the bowl's muscularity, while the tapered stem is comparatively shorter and allows the stummel to remain the focal point. Separating the stem from the stummel is an engraved silver band, appropriately featuring a pipe motif across its surface and offers elegant contrast.

This particular example is finished in the rugged texture of the workshop's Rind rustication, which further accentuates the design's sturdiness and provides an abundance of textural intrigue. The smooth rim is lightly stained for some tasteful contrast, with streaks of horizontal grain dominating its surface. This piece comes complete with a commemorative scroll signed by Luigi and his sons and a special red leather Radice pouch for protection and easy transportation. It's a composition that testifies to Radice's passion for the craft and their commitment to creating expertly engineered smoking instruments.