Radice: Rind Billiard Tobacco Pipe

Gently rounded, with a dynamic forward cant and easy taper to its rather taut rim, this Billiard from Radice houses ample chamber capacity and offers a comfortable fit in hand. Displaying an Italian neoclassical attitude, the bowl maintains the form's focal point, with the more slender shank and stem narrowing consistently toward the bit. The shank itself takes on a slightly more extended presence here than is seen in most other Billiards, though its extension isn't quite great enough to make this pipe a Liverpool, and it lends the aft side of this pipe an angular, aerodynamic look. The briar here is dressed in Radice's craggy Rind rustication, offering plenty of rugged texture to appreciate, all beneath an earthy stain that's nicely contrasted by the smooth rim.

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.