Radice: Summer 2022 Rind Bent Billiard with Silver and Leather Bag Tobacco Pipe

The second release in Radice's four-part limited-edition series in 2022 commemorating the seasons, the Summer edition comprises a single bent Billiard shape across a variety of finishes. Like the earlier Spring edition, this Summer pipe features a hand-cast silver accent band — in this case etched with stylized depictions of the sun. This added embellishment does well to emphasize the work of the Radices, further underscoring why the Italian workshop has become so acclaimed.

Summer's release is a muscular and compact bent Billiard with a good deal of in-hand presence and plenty of robust shaping to appreciate. What strikes me first about this profile is the sharp, pronounced heel that pushes out just a touch from the fore, supporting the bowl easily. Said bowl is quite tall, over two inches in height, and takes on a slight bit of taper from its solid base to the rim, lending it a dynamic look that allows for easy gripping in the hand. Paired to this bowl is a rather high-kicking shank ebbing out of a tight-knit transition, itself tapering slightly as it reaches toward the stem base and slenderizing the aft portion of the pipe very subtly. It's fitted to a trim acrylic saddle stem whose demure downturn lends the composition a comfortable smoking posture and a touch of gracile poise. There's a profound thickness throughout the entirety of the briar here, and that makes the stummel a lovely canvas for the rugged texture of the craggy Rind rustication seen here.