Radice Clear Fiammata Smooth Cutty Estate Briar Pipe, Italian Estates, 9mm

Description

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.

Radice’s Clear line is comprised of pipes with excellent grain, over which is laid a light blonde stain that allows this grain to express itself as clear as day. One step up from the Clear, however, is the “Fiammata” grade, an Italian term synonymous with straight grain and flame grain and which is, as such exclusively awarded to pipes with such extraordinary patterning. On Radice pipes, this is denoted by an “F” stamp and, looking at this one, it was well deserved. As for the shape, this Radice is a rather uncommon one within the workshop’s portfolio, but it is by no means unprecedented in Italian pipes. While inheritors of the Anglo-French tradition would likely think of this as a cutty shape, in Italy it is commonly referred to as a Genovese. Both have the same origin, however, that being the clay pipes that preceded briars and whose shapes were carried over into the latter as it ascended to the status of the standard medium for pipe manufacture. As a last touch, the pipe also has a sterling silver collar. Again, much deserved.

The condition is very good. Minor inner rim charring and slight handling marks. This pipe is chambered to allow for the use of 9mm filters, or for an adapter (not included) if unfiltered use is preferred.

 

Details:

Length: 6.5″ / 165.1mm

Bowl Width: 0.91 / 23.11mm

Bowl Depth: 1.79″ / 45.46mm

Weight: 1.9oz / 54g