Radice: Rind Billiard (E) Tobacco Pipe

This Billiard is an intriguing piece from Radice, possessed of an incredible briefness that places it squarely within Nosewarmer territory, coming in at less than four and a half inches long. The bowl is comparatively stout, its walls standing atop a pronounced, rounded, and slightly descended heel and rising high to a flat, smooth rim while taking on a subtle taper. A wide transition out back gives way to a lifting shank capped with a trim cumberland stem, the pair taking on a consistent taper to the button while poised at a jaunty angle. Dressed in the craggy rustication and earthy stain of the Rind series, this pipe offers plenty of texture to appreciate, the smooth, light rim offering some handsome contrast.

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.