Radice Rubino Smooth Bulldog Estate Briar Pipe, Italian Estates

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. The Rubino is a rather rare sight in Radice’s output these days, to the point where I wonder whether it’s still being made. A step below Radice’s light smooth “Clear” grade, the Rubino could be compared to the old Castello Trademark and, by extension, to midcentury English pipes, on account of its ruby-red stain. On the other hand, it’s a little less heavily applied than the old Trademark or many a traditional English pipe, allowing the grain underneath to show itself more clearly. This one takes the form of a quite classical, squat bulldog, even going so far as to include the forward cant typical of early briars. The condition is fair. Some rim darkening and scratches around the bowl.   Details: Length: 5.6″ / 142.2mm Bowl Width: 0.92 / 23.36mm Bowl Depth: 1.47″ / 37.33mm Weight: 1.8oz / 52g

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