Radice (2012) Rind G Partially Rusticated Hawkbill (Estate)

Radice is one of the great Italian workshop pipe makes, belonging to a historic lineage of such workshops. The company began as a family affair, being established in 1980 by Luigi Radice, along with his son, Gianluca, and father, Paolo. But Radice’s pipe making “family” is a little larger than that. Prior to founding Radice, Luigi ran Caminetto, which he had founded with Guiseppe Ascorti in 1968. Prior to Caminetto, Radice had worked alongside Ascorti in the Castello factory, under the supervision of its owner, Carlo Scotti. It’s quite an impressive genealogy, which is clearly reflected in the quality of Radice pipes.

Somewhat like the brandy and acorn shapes of post-war Denmark, the hawkbill is a shape that, despite having its earliest origins in the more traditional schools of pipe design, has become a thoroughly Italian one over the last 70 or so years. As such, today, the shape is all but synonymous with high-end Italian workshop pipes. In the case of Radice, this is no different, and hawkbills are a staple within the make’s output. However, the affinity that Luigi and his sons have for the shape is likely connected to the workshop’s distinct position within the history of Italian pipes, as hawkbill designs have also featured notably in the pipes of the Castello and Caminetto workshops that Luigi was once part of. This one is an oversized rendition, belonging to Radice’s extra large “G” grouping, and is dressed in the make’s citrus peel-like rustication, known as the Rind.

The condition is great. Very minor wear to the rim, but clearly well looked after.

Details:

Length: 6.2″ / 157.2mm

Bowl Width: 0.88 / 22.35mm

Bowl Depth: 1.80″ / 45.72mm

Weight: 2.3oz / 66g